‘Chalk Girl’ allowed to stay with father

The girl on the night of her arrest (Sina.com)

A 14-year-old girl who was arrested for chalking flowers on Lennon Wall and faced being taken into care will be allowed to stay with her family, a court ruled today.

City authorities had been seeking a “care and protection” order for the teenager, who was sent to a children’s home after being caught scribbling on the wall at the Admiralty protest site in last month.

Although she was later allowed to return to her father on bail and under curfew, the case sparked fears authorities are carrying out a clampdown on protesters after the end of two months of rallies for free leadership elections.

“After considering the facts and based on suggestions made by social workers, there is no need to make such an order now,” Hong Kong magistrate Winnie Lau said today.

Prominent pro-democracy veteran Martin Lee, who represented the girl, said the teenager “should be happy today.” The girl herself was not available for comment.

The arrest of the teen – dubbed “Chalk Girl” in local media – comes as authorities face accusations of mounting a campaign of harassment against prominent pro-democracy figures after the camps were cleared last month.

“I can’t think of any other reason (for the arrests) other than creating white terror or a politically motivated one,” student leader Alex Chow said on Sunday after becoming the latest figure to be detained and released by police.

Other leading figures have been asked to attend police stations this week, including outspoken media tycoon Jimmy Lai and the three founders of the Occupy Central campaign.

Police had also sought a care and protection order for another teenager, a 14-year-old boy who was arrested during the clearance of one of the protest camps in November.

The secondary school student, who asked not to be named, said his treatment was “extremely unethical” and “politically motivated”.

“What the government is doing is below the belt because they are using all means to try to stop young people from carrying out political campaigns. But it will just make us more determined,” he told AFP after the decision.

Related Stories:

14-year-old girl arrested for drawing chalk flowers on Hong Kong’s Lennon Wall

Words: AFP