9th February 2023 – (Hong Kong) On 18th November 2019, a large number of demonstrators entered the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and clashed fiercely with the police Later, officers besieged PolyU. Many demonstrators tried to break out of the siege and escape but failed and were arrested. One of the cases involved eight defendants, four of whom had pleaded guilty and were sentenced. The remaining 4 defendants did not plead guilty but 3 of them aged 24, 27 and 28 years old changed their plea before the trial, and pleaded guilty to one crime of rioting. Two of them are a married couple.
They were sentenced to 16 to 19 months in prison by District Court judge today. The judge pointed out that a large number of young people were trapped in PolyU and later arrested, but the culprits behind the scenes escaped. The defendants who entered the campus as self-proclaimed volunteer first aiders, but actually helped, supported and encouraged the perpetrators.