The trial of seven police officers charged with beating up Civic Party member and activist Ken Tsang Kin-chiu began on Wednesday at the District Court. The incident occurred near government headquarters in Tamar, Admiralty on October 1, 2014, during the pro-democracy Occupy protests.
The group of seven comprise of a chief inspector, a senior inspector and five junior officers. The officers are from the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau, the Kwun Tong and Kowloon City Regional Police departments and the Kowloon Regional Headquarters.
Each was charged with wounding or striking with intent to do grievous bodily harm. One of them was charged with an extra count of common assault. The seven pleaded not guilty.
The case was adjourned until Thursday after the prosecution said that more time was needed to read Tsang’s statement. The defence also said that it needed more time to read over 500 pages of new documents, after which the judge adjourned the case until Thursday afternoon. Tsang gave a new statement to the police on Tuesday.
The trial is expected to take 20 days. Members from the pro-establishment Justice League and the Alliance to Support Police Force were outside the courthouse voicing their support for the police.
Because of the attention the case was expected to receive, seats for the media were increased from 12 seats to 36. Speakers were installed and a live feed was set up in another courtroom.
