Twelve protesters, including actor Gregory Wong, were on Saturday jailed for up to six years and ten months each for storming the Legislative Council complex during the 2019 social unrest.

The defendants were convicted of rioting on July 1, when protesters spent hours trying to smash their way into the building, and further damage was done after hundreds eventually managed to get inside.

Deputy District Court judge Li Chi-ho said the storming represented a challenge to the SAR government and had long-lasting effects on the city.

He sentenced Wong, who was convicted after a trial, to six years and two months behind bars.

The judge said the involvement of another defendant, Lam Kam-kwan, was the most severe, and he was therefore given an 82-month jail term.

Former activists Ventus Lau and Owen Chow, who pleaded guilty, were jailed for four and a half years and five years and one month, respectively.

The two have been on remand for a national security case for allegedly taking part in a Legco primary of the pro-democracy camp.

Two former reporters, who were earlier acquitted of rioting after trial, were fined HK$1,000 and HK$1,500 for entering the Legco chamber.

In response, police said the sentences reflected the seriousness of the case and served as a deterrent. They said they may also make further arrests if new evidence emerges. (Additional reporting by AFP)
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Last updated: 2024-03-16 HKT 18:12