Hong Kong ex-student leader clashes with court judge over political statements
A former student leader involved in the 2019 Hong Kong protests faced a dramatic courtroom clash with the judge as she attempted to make political statements during her trial for rioting.
Althea Suen’s impassioned plea was repeatedly interrupted, leading to a tense showdown at the West Kowloon Law Courts Building, Hong Kong.
Suen, former head of the University of Hong Kong’s students’ union, was involved in the storming of the Legislative Council (LegCo) on July 1, 2019, a major event during the unrest. Despite pleading guilty to rioting last May, she used her mitigation plea to express her political beliefs, prompting Judge Li to intervene multiple times, prohibiting political statements in court.
Suen’s attempt to justify her actions and express her views on democracy and freedom led to a tense exchange with the judge, who repeatedly warned her against using the court as a platform for political opinions. Despite the interruptions, Suen remained steadfast in conveying her beliefs, ultimately agreeing to skip parts of her speech to comply with the judge’s instructions.
Suen appeared in court alongside five other defendants, including Wong Ka-ho and Ma Kai-chung, who was acquitted of rioting but found guilty of entering or remaining in the LegCo chamber. Their lawyer argued that their actions were non-violent and typically dealt with by fines, given their roles as journalists, reported HKFP.
The defendants found guilty of entering or remaining in the LegCo chamber face a 2,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately 9,000 baht) penalty and potential imprisonment. The court is set to hear mitigation statements from a second batch of defendants, including ex-activist Ventus Lau and actor Gregory Wong, with all defendants scheduled for sentencing on March 16.
In related news, Lionel Messi’s failure to grace the pitch in Hong Kong left droves of fans disheartened, but the football icon has hinted at a potential return, this time on the Tokyo turf. The star’s absence during the highly anticipated match at Hong Kong Stadium not only disappointed supporters but also sparked a PR crisis for his Major League Soccer side and local event organisers.
