An arrest warrant has been issued for a woman accused of taking photos inside a courtroom during a hearing on the clearance of the 2014 Umbrella Movement Mong Kok protest site.
Last Wednesday, High Court Judge Andrew Chan received a complaint alleging that Tang Lin-ling took photos from the public gallery. Her phone was then confiscated.
Judge Chan allowed Tang to be released on bail last Friday. However, on Tuesday the Department of Justice said that Tang failed to hand over the HK$50,000 within the 72-hour deadline.
The police also attempted to visit the address provided by Tang – where she claimed to be staying with her friend – but they found that the unit number did not exist. Judge Chan ordered on Tuesday for an arrest warrant to be issued.
This is the third reported incident of photos being taken inside the courtroom during hearings for protest-related trials in recent months.
At the Mong Kok unrest trial involving localist Edward Leung in February, a man claiming to be a mainland tourist was caught taking photos inside the courtroom and uploading them onto social media.
Less than two weeks later, another Mandarin-speaking man was accused of taking photos during the same trial.
On May 18, the High Court sought protection for jurors in the case after the judiciary received a photo of four jurors in an email.
