Hong Kong actor Gregory Wong , along with 11 others, received prison sentences for their involvement in the storming of the city’s legislature during the 2019 protests. Sentence of Gregory Wong just over six years stood out as one of the lengthier ones handed down by the district court on Saturday.
Among those imprisoned in connection with the pro-democracy protest were activists Ventus Lau and Owen Chow. Additionally, two journalists faced fines for unlawfully entering the Legislative Council chamber during the incident.
Most of the defendants faced convictions for rioting. The event, occurring in July 2019, marked a significant moment in the pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted over a contentious law allowing the extradition of individuals to mainland China.
During the incident, hundreds of protesters breached the building, spray-painting messages on its walls, and bringing supplies for those inside. The building suffered extensive damage, including portraits of political leaders torn from the walls and furniture smashed.
Judge Li Chi-ho, on Saturday, emphasized that beyond the physical harm, the storming had caused “long-lasting” social effects. He remarked that the act held symbolic significance, challenging the Hong Kong government and undermining its governance.
The protests eventually led to the implementation of a strict national security law, criminalizing a broader range of dissenting activities and diminishing the city’s autonomy. This law permits China to have jurisdiction over Hong Kong national security cases under certain circumstances.
Both Beijing, the enforcer of the law in Hong Kong, and the city’s authorities argue that the law is crucial for maintaining stability and deny claims that it has reduced autonomy.
Hong Kong, previously under British rule, was returned to China in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” principle. Critics accuse the Chinese Communist Party of violating the agreement aimed at granting the city a high level of autonomy and preserving its economic and social systems.
