8th February 2023 – (Hong Kong) In response to the report of suspected criminal damages to the West Kowloon Law Courts Building today, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, issued the following statement:
“I am immensely concerned about the incident, and strongly condemn any violent acts intended to disrupt or damage the due administration of justice. In Hong Kong, where the rule of law is upheld, no act of violent attack or intimidation, which is against the courts or judicial officers, will be tolerated.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will seriously pursue any offender who disrupts social order and undermines the rule of law, and will spare no effort in bringing the culprit to justice. I am confident that the due administration of justice will be maintained and stay unaffected.”
At around 1pm today, the police received a report that a glass curtain wall about 1.5m X 5m on the third floor of the West Kowloon Law Courts Building has broken, but it was not shattered, and a suspected metallic spherical projectiles known as BBs were eft on the ground. Officers arrived at the scene after receiving the report.
The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau and plainclothes officers subsequently arrived at the scene. After preliminary investigation, it was suspected that someone shot from the overpass opposite the courthouse at about 1.17pm, causing the glass panel to break. The case is temporarily classified as criminal damage, and no one has been arrested yet . At 6 o’clock in the evening, the traffic lane on Tung Chau Street in front of the court was once sealed off. The 47 pan-democrats who participated in the 2020 Legislative Council primary election were charged with conspiracy to subvert state power and their trial continued today in the West Kowloon Law Courts today. It is suspected that the incident is related to the ongoing trial.