Two protesters associated with the Mong Kok unrest – Chan Cheuk-hin and Chan Yu-kei – have been found guilty of one count of behaving in a disorderly manner and one count of assaulting a police officer respectively.

In handing down the verdict on Thursday, magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han said that Chan Yu-kei “had himself to blame” for sustaining bloody injuries, as he resisted the police while they were trying to subdue him. She said that the police had used “acceptable force.”

Chan Yu-kei earlier this year. Photo: Apple Daily.

The two were arrested during scenes of unrest in February this year. Clashes between protesters and police broke out over the government’s clearance of street hawkers in the area during Lunar New Year. Dozens were arrested by the authorities in the aftermath.

Chan Cheuk-hin was accused of pushing a rubbish bin out into the road during, while Chan Yu-kei was accused of attacking a police officer.

Chan Yu-kei. Photo: Apple Daily.

According to Stand News, the defence had said that Chan Cheuk-hin had a passion for social affairs and was affected by the environment around him when he pushed the rubbish bin. It also described the other defendant, Chan Yu-kei, similarly, saying that he may have not followed the rules because he may have been affected by people around him.

Heung said that the Chan Cheuk-hin had provoked the police and intended to provoke other people into disturbing public order, finding him guilty.

Chan Cheuk-hin. Photo: Apple Daily.

On the other hand, Chan Yu-kei, who was charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer, was found not guilty of his second charge as Heung said that a conclusion cannot be made as to whether the officer in question had fallen over because he was hit or because of his own actions. She also said that the resolution of the video was not high enough.

The two will be sentenced on December 2.

Meanwhile, the trial of Edward Leung Tin-kei and Ray Wong Toi-yeung, two localists from the group Hong Kong Indigenous, along with eight others, is to begin on January 15, 2018. The pre-trial review will take place on August 7, 2017. Wong was charged with rioting, inciting rioting, and inciting unlawful assembly. Leung was charged with inciting rioting and two counts of rioting.