The Apple Daily founder had sought influential figures to highlight concerns about the extradition bill ahead of a mass rally in 2019, a former senior employee told the national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai on Tuesday.

Former associate publisher Chan Pui-man testified that her ex-boss told her to look for prominent figures for comments before the June 9 rally.

He wanted to get comments from those in the legal and religious fields, Chan said.

“[Lai] felt that if they again have pan-democrats talk about the issue, it would be nothing new, or it would not be news to readers anymore,” she said.

Chan added she relayed the defendant’s message to her colleagues to also interview students, to encourage more people to come out to protest.

The court was told Lai’s views of the anti-extradition bill movement were taken into consideration by newspaper staff when they tried to come up with article headlines.

One headline, in June 2019, read “Evil Law To Be Suspended But Not To Be Withdrawn”.

“[Lai] believed then-Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s suspension of the ordinance was merely a tactic, and only by withdrawing it can the purpose be met," Chan said.

The court also heard the July 1 print edition of Apple Daily came with a special booklet featuring photographs about two rallies in June, which was aimed at getting more people to buy the newspaper and express support for the protests.

Regarding an earlier demonstration in April that year, Apple Daily made a “special exception” to publish a full-page comic by political cartoonist Zunzi in support of it, Chan told the hearing.

She said the newspaper would normally publish a comic by the cartoonist only on July 1 every year.

“We felt that Lai attached great importance to the protest (in April), so we published the comic [in the newspaper] that day,” Chan said.

The former associate publisher is among six senior staff of the now-defunct outlet who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit collusion.

The Apple Daily founder has denied three conspiracy charges relating to collusion with foreign forces and sedition.

The trial continues on Wednesday.