Two anti-parallel trade protesters who shouted and spat water at a mother and her four-year-old daughter earlier this year have pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a public place.
Chan Bo-kee, 47, and Kuoc Ho-pan, 16, were arrested on March 8 as they took part in a demonstration branded “Restore Sheung Shui”. The rally took participants to Tuen Mun Town Centre, where abuse was yelled at suspected parallel traders – people who smuggle goods from Hong Kong to mainland China for profit.
During the march, Kuoc intercepted a mother and her young daughter and demanded to see inside their bags. The woman opened her trolley to show she was only carrying children’s books, but the shouting continued, while Chan leaned towards the little girl and spat water at her and her mother.
The girl began to cry and the mother called the police, after which both Kuoc and Chan were arrested.
A video of the incident was captured here:
The incident was widely reported in the local press and used as an example of how the anti-parallel trade movement was too aggressive.
At Tuen Mun Court yesterday, Magistrate Kelly Shui rebuked the pair for their “despicable” behaviour.
“You two did not even consider what kind of people they were. You just found they looked like they were from the mainland and you bullied them,” Shui said, according to the SCMP.
In mitigation, the defendants apologised to the victims and said they only acted out of love for Hong Kong. Chan was also ordered to pay the mother HKD800.
Sentencing has been adjourned to Oct. 19 while background checks on the two men are carried out.
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