Hearing-impaired pupil cleared of assaulting officer at anti-parallel trading protest

A hearing-impaired secondary school pupil was yesterday cleared of pushing the door of a fast-food restaurant and hitting a policeman amid chaotic scenes during a protest against parallel trading in Yuen Long.

Acquitting Fung Tsz-ho, Tuen Mun magistrate Kelly Shui said she could not rule out the possibility that the 17-year-old opened the door and accidentally hit officer Lee Wang-tat.

She also could not be sure if Lee was hit by other people at the scene, or if he was being oversensitive as the area outside the McDonald's restaurant was crowded.

The court was told that Lee in plainclothes, wearing only a police vest, was deployed to disperse protesters who were gathering outside the restaurant to protest against parallel trading. Fung was inside the restaurant at the time when police started pepper-spraying protesters, Shui noted.

Fung had earlier pleaded not guilty to one count of assaulting a police officer.

During the trial, Lee accused Fung of "opening and closing" the front door of the restaurant at very fast speed as the door hit him three times.

Outside court, Fung, who will sit public exams next year, said the trial had wasted his time as he had to miss some classes. He added that he was not aware that Lee was a police officer.