Trials Over Lunchtime Protest Set For 2023

A District Court judge on Friday set trial dates more than two years away for a case involving 28 people accused of rioting during a lunch hour anti-government protest in Central.

The defendants – including actors, social workers, students, teachers and a fitness coach – were initially accused of taking part in an unlawful assembly on November 12, 2019.

But prosecutors later changed the charge to the more serious offence of rioting.

Most of them are also accused of breaching the anti-mask law.

District Court judge David Dufton approved a request by prosecutors and defence lawyers for the defendants to be split into three groups, with separate trials to be held between March and September 2023.

Last month, one of the defendants, Fu Chi-lam, 27, had his bail revoked for breaching a curfew order.

But during Friday's hearing, he was again released on bail, with the judge noting that the trials are quite some time away.

The court also extended bail to the other defendants, apart from one who applied for his bail to be revoked.

The lawyer for Hon Po-sang indicated that his client would plead guilty and a hearing was set for his case for June 15.