BREAKING: Ex-lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting found guilty of rioting in Yuen Long 2019 attacks

Hong Kong Free Press

Ex-lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting has been found guilty of rioting during a mob attack in Yuen Long in July 2019, a watershed moment during the 2019 protests that sparked widespread criticism of police over their response to the incident.

yuen long july 21 china extradition — The mob attack on July 21, 2019 in Yuen Long MTR station. Photo: Screenshot.

Lam was one of seven at the District Court on Thursday to hear the verdict after a 51-day trial that began last October. They were accused of taking part in a riot at Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019, when men dressed in white stormed the station and attacked passers-by.

The prosecution accused the defendants of provoking the white-shirt men by throwing objects and spraying them with a fire hose.

All seven testified during the trial. Over the course of eight days, Lam said he went to Yuen Long that night after hearing that suspected triad members planned to gather there to “protect their homeland.” The 47-year-old said he hoped to use his role as a lawmaker to compel police into taking action.

Lam said when he arrived at the station that night, he saw a man dressed in black being attacked by a group of people in white. He choked up while testifying, saying he felt helpless as he watched.

The prosecution, however, rejected his argument, saying that Lam had been an instigator of the attacks and was not a credible witness. During the trial’s closing arguments, prosecutor Jasmine Ching claimed that Lam had “abused his power for personal gains,” such as by live-streaming on his Facebook page when he arrived at the scene in an attempt to “attract traffic.”

Lam was among those attacked on the station platform. He told the court a man wearing a white shirt – who has since been convicted of rioting – chased him with a rod and hit him, causing his mouth to bleed. The ex-lawmaker said he needed stitches afterwards, and that his head and arms were also injured.

The events of that night, known as the “721 incident,” marked a key moment in the 2019 protests. Police were accused of turning a blind eye to the incident as hundreds of emergency calls went unanswered.

yuen long attack 721 — Rod-wielding men entered Yuen Long MTR station on July 21, 2019. Photo: RTHK.

Lam was granted bail in relation to the riot case, but has been detained since 2021 when he was charged in the city’s largest national security case. He pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit subversion over his role in a primary poll, and was last month sentenced to six years and nine months in jail after being convicted in May.

51-day trial

During the 51-day trial that began last October, the prosecution summoned 11 witnesses including police officers and MTR station staff present that night.

A since-retired sergeant surnamed Tang, whose full name was not revealed due to an anonymity order, told the court that Lam had called him at around 10.20 pm that night to ask about police deployment, according to The Witness.

Tang said he had warned Lam not to come to Yuen Long, saying there had already been a violent incident outside the MTR station. If anything happened to Lam inside the station, police would need to come and protect him, which would only “cause more chaos,” Tang recalled telling Lam.

The prosecution also summoned six MTR station staff. The most senior one there that night, known to the court as Mr B due to an anonymity order, said police had arranged to deploy plainclothes officers in the station two days before the incident. He confirmed that two plainclothes officers were there on the night of the attacks.

After the prosecution presented its case, the defendants took turns testifying. The other six defendants were accused of attacking the men wearing white by aiming a fire hose or throwing objects at them.

Yu Ka-ho told the court he had taken part in a protest march organised by the now-defunct Civil Human Rights Front before going to Yuen Long for dessert with his girlfriend. He said he saw bloodstains and broken rods when he arrived, as well as white-shirted men holding weapons and Chinese and Hong Kong flags.

The defendant confirmed that he had sprayed water at the white-shirted men with a fire hose after seeing others do the same. Another defendant, Jason Chan, also said he did the same. Chan told the court he hoped to stop the white-shirted men from coming closer.

yuen long mtr yuen long july 28 china extradition — Yuen Long MTR station on July 28, 2019. Photo: May James/HKFP.

Kwong Ho-lam said he had just finished working at a Spanish restaurant in nearby YOHO Mall and was passing through the MTR station on his way home. He said he saw white-shirted men yelling profanities on the concourse.

He admitted to throwing objects at the men in white. While watching CCTV footage of the incident, the judge said it looked like Kwong was holding up a middle finger, but Kwong said it was his index finger and that he was pointing at the white-shirted men while filming a video on his phone. The prosecution said they could not confirm whether it was his index or middle finger.

In total, 22 people have been charged with rioting in relation to the July 21, 2019 incident. Fourteen were white-shirted men, with legal proceedings 11 of whom have been tried, resulting in 10 convictions and one acquittal. One of the men found guilty successfully appealed and was cleared of his charge, while the one who was acquitted is awaiting a retrial following an appeal by the Department of Justice.

The other three had their case adjourned until January. Of the eight charged who were not among those wearing white that night, one was found guilty in April and was jailed for two years and nine months.

Protests erupted in June 2019 over a since-axed extradition bill. They escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing’s encroachment. Demonstrators demanded an independent probe into police conduct, amnesty for those arrested and a halt to the characterisation of protests as “riots.”

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