How did a 20-year-old protester spend the final 24 hours before his verdict?

The Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (anti-ELAB) movement has persisted for a year, and the events that occurred in Admiralty on 12 June 2019 was undoubtedly the turning point for the entire movement.

Protesters attacked the Legislative Council Building on that day, and the police did not hesitate to disperse them with tear gas and rubber bullets. Police commissioner Stephen Lo later characterised the day’s events as a riot. Chief Executive Carrie Lam later echoed the police chief’s remarks. The people clearly objected. Four days later, 6.16 million Hong Kongers took to the streets. The slogans "students are not thugs" and "we did not riot" were chanted, while the Five Demands included the “withdrawal of the characterisation of 12 June as a riot”.

Not only did the government ignore these demands, but as the protests continued, more arrests were made. Responding to an enquiry by Stand News, the police stated that 8,986 arrests were made and 1,808 individuals charge in association with district-level protests during the period 9 June 2019 to 31 May 2020. Among them, rioting was the most common charge, with exactly 612 individuals charged.

A 21-year-old lifeguard who was accused of participating in the 12 June riots in Admiralty pleaded guilty to the District Court earlier. The judge emphasised that protesters “attacked the rule of law", "ignored the law and disregarded the safety of police officers", saying that the sentence must have a deterring effect and consider the public’s interest. In the end, after considering the scale of the riot, the magnitude of violence, the defendant's guilty plea, his age etc., he determined a period of 6 years as a starting point for sentencing after the trial. Because the defendant pleaded guilty, one-third of the sentence was deducted and the final sentence was 4 years.

Each of the 612 people accused of riots face such a challenge. Once in prison, they pay with their years of youth and loss of a future.

After a year of resistance, “Stand News" interviewed many people who were accused of rioting in the anti-ELAB movement to understand their original motivations to fight, and recorded the anxieties and hopes of “each one of the 612” in this critical juncture.

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"The case will be adjourned till tomorrow.” The judge yesterday (June 1) made a decision which surprised Lam, the defendant accused of rioting.

Lam originally thought that the judge would make a ruling at least one week later, so that even if at the worst case he is found guilty, there would still be time to say goodbye to relatives and friends, "but I didn’t imagine a quick ruling... I feel like I’m riding a roller coaster." After less than 24 hours, he might lose the next several years of freedom, and he was undoubtedly going through mixed emotions.

Hours before the verdict, Lam accepted an interview with "Stand News" without showing much emotion. "There is no regret, only worry, because I have no control over this situation and I don't know what will happen."

Later that afternoon, the judge ruled that Lam was to be acquitted and released on the spot. Relatives, friends and supporters in the public gallery instantly cheered. Some people could not hide their joy and shouted "Yes!”. Lam then stepped out of the defendant’s dock and hugged his relatives and friends, bursting into tears. He thanked the people who came to the hearing and supported him outside the courtroom. He revealed that even though he did not feel his best, “if I did not commit something, then I simply didn’t”.

Leaving the court, the 20 year-old can finally look forward to what he mentioned a few hours ago: “Eat and enjoy time with my family and friends”.

Others who were probably also on the same emotional roller coaster with Lam include those who accompanied him to court. His classmate Chau said that when the judge initially ruled that there was a case to be heard, he was very worried and believed that there was a chance the judge would accept testimony from the police. However, during adjudication when the judge refuted the testimony of the police officers one by one, he became hopeful. Chau also believed that Lam may not be in the mood to celebrate at the moment, but looked forward to having a meal with him later on.

Classmate Wong said that he had known Lam since junior high school and recalled Lam revealing to him the night before the hearing that he was worried about how the judge would make his ruling. He also recalled Lam saying that even his lawyers were unsure of his chances and for that reason he requested that his parents not attend the hearing.

Upon learning of the verdict however, Wong was relieved: “We were mentally prepared that he would go to jail, so now a weight has definitely been lifted.”

The sudden ruling and not being able to say goodbye

Lam, a 20 year-old college graduate, was full of potential, but since he was accused of participating in a riot in Wong Tai Sin last October, he had to handle the lawsuit along with the Wuhan pneumonia pandemic. “My life seemed to have stopped,” he said.

Lam’s trial was only opened last week, and the prosecution and the defendant only completed their closing statements yesterday morning, but the judge has said immediately that a ruling can be made the following day. Lam was frank in his interview before the ruling: “It was so sudden that no one knew how to react, myself included.” After leaving the courtroom, Lam went to Mong Kok with his friends. “None of us really had much to say. I went home that night and told my family that the judge will have a verdict the following day. They asked me what my chances were, and I had no answer for them. There was not much conversation during dinner that night.”

The interview took place only a few hours before the verdict was due. I asked him if he were to be found guilty and remanded on that day, would it be a pity not being able to say goodbye to his relatives and friends? His answer was concise: “Yes, because I wouldn’t have a chance to see them."

Since his arrest in October last year, even during the interrogation, Lam was on an emotional roller coaster. While waiting for his trial to commence, he saw that the defendants in many other cases were found not guilty and even dismissed. He was hopeful that the same would happen to him, yet when the trial began he also had conflicting thoughts that he would not be “let off so easily”.

During the trial, Lam once again felt hopeful when the testimony was beneficial for his case, but when the judge unexpectedly declared that sentencing would take place the following day, he relapsed into anxiety as it was completely unexpected.

Lam said that he was mentally prepared to be convicted and imprisoned for three to six years. To him these were not cold, hard numbers but a long period of time that felt very real.

The reporter asked him what he was most worried about if he were to go to prison? Stroking his glass of water, he said his biggest concern was adapting to a new life, for himself and his family. It would be as if they have “lost a son”.

Fortunate not to grow up in a “blue ribbon” family

When asked what he wanted to say most to his family, Lam wanted to thank them for their support and to say he was sorry.

He said his family's support has moved him deeply, but he has never been able to express his thanks to his family as he was not one for words. He said that his family specifically asked for time off work to accompany him to court, and told him that "no matter what, we will support you, we will appeal the sentence and fight (the lawsuit) to the end…” He secretly rejoiced that he did not grow up in a “blue ribbon” household. In fact, his family did not used to care much about current affairs and preferred to stay politically neutral. But after his arrest, his parents started reading newspapers such as Apple Daily and tried to understand his son’s political beliefs.

During the interview, Lam often told reporters that he was a person who rarely spoke. “I don’t have much to say, even at home.” During the trial the character references written by his many teachers for him mentioned that although he was quiet, he was enthusiastic about helping others and not afraid of giving more than he can receive.

Perhaps due to lack of words, Lam was more used to expressing himself through his actions. He described himself as originally a “peaceful protester(和理非)”. From taking to the streets to being accused of rioting and becoming a “thug”, Lam said that he no longer cares how others describe him. Just as the police would call protesters as rioters whether they are in the front or the back. The current social atmosphere is such that even if you are just walking on the street, you risk being charged with rioting.

Lam also believed that many Hong Kong people had transformed from peaceful protesters to frontline warriors: "In fact, it was society that forced this to happen.” He once read a message in an online forum: "If we were not living in this society (where the government ignores citizens’ demands), Edward Leung could be in a bar today chatting up girls… and having a better future."

He sometimes tries to make sense of his arrest by thinking that the police had missed out on a “frontline warrior” by catching a “peaceful protester”, thus allowing the frontline protester to live and fight for another day.

At the time of this interview, Lam’s worst case scenario was to be found guilty and sent to prison immediately, with potentially only a few hours of freedom left.

The reporter was curious about why he was still willing to accept the interview at that moment. Was there anything he wished to tell the Hong Kong people? Lam pondered for a moment and said:

“Your original intent is the most important. In today’s resistance movement, it is easy to lose one’s direction. I hope that everyone can remember what the original goal is, and avoid infighting such as “yellow fighting yellow”. Remembering what one started out for - this is what Lam saw as the most critical.

Source: The Stand News, June 2020, https://bit.ly/2ChH5NY