A pro-Beijing protester has been handed a suspended jail sentence for throwing a shoe at pro-democracy lawmaker Lau Siu-lai during a televised forum last October.
61-year-old Wong Tai-hong pleaded guilty to a count of common assault at the Eastern Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. He was handed a suspended sentence of two weeks in prison.
Apple Daily reported that he had criminal background of violence, and is currently unemployed.
Wong told the court he was unhappy that Lau only complained about the country and the government without reflecting on herself, but realised what he did was wrong.
See also: Video: Pro-Beijing protester hurls sports shoe at lawmaker Lau Siu-lai during RTHK TV show
The magistrate said that he should not have acted violently even if he had differing views, because Hongkongers enjoy freedom of speech.
During a break at RTHK’s current affairs discussion programme City Forum last October, he took off a sports shoe he was wearing, and hurled it at Lau.
He was wearing a blue cap – a symbol commonly associated with pro-Beijing group Defend Hong Kong Campaign, but the group denied that he was a member.
RTHK called the police, but Wong departed from the scene before they arrived. He surrendered to the police the following day.
