Former lawmaker Raymond Wong Yuk-man has been convicted of assault for throwing a glass at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying at the Legislative Council in July 2014. Wong was charged with common assault last August.
“We cannot let this case set a bad precedent,” Wong said outside the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. “Then everyone who will protest more vigorously in LegCo in the future will be jailed.”
Magistrate Chu Chung-keung said Wong’s testimony was contradictory. Wong said the purpose of his actions were not aimed at anyone but was to protest and to create chaos. However, the court found Wong had targeted the Chief Executive. Thus, the magistrate did not accept his testimony.
Leung told the magistrate that he was in shock for a few seconds after the assault. The court said being shocked was an internal feeling that might not necessarily be expressed, and so it cannot be doubted that Leung was in fact shocked.
The magistrate accepted his testimony, adding that it was reasonable and convincing.
Wong threw a glass at Leung on July 3, 2014 during a questions-and-answers session at the legislature. After Leung entered the chamber, Wong repeatedly threw papers at the Chief Executive, despite security guards’ attempting to stop him. Wong then hurled a glass towards Leung’s direction.
The Office of the Chief Executive alerted the police following the incident. The day after, Wong said that he had planned to throw water, but the glass “slipped” out of his hand. He surrendered himself to the police the same day.
Wong will be sentenced next Tuesday.
