Four Former University of Hong Kong Students Sentenced to 2 Years Over Incitement of Violence Against Police
The four were originally charged with advocating terrorism for passing a student union resolution mourning a man who attacked a police officer, but the charge was dropped as part of a plea deal; Judge Adriana Noelle Tse Ching admonishes ex-student leaders for open "defiance of the law," glorification of violence and failure to consider unrest potentially brought from their actions.
- Four former student leaders from the University of Hong Kong were each sentenced to two years in prison for lauding a lethal knife attack on a police officer in 2021.
- The student leaders had passed a resolution honoring Leung Kin-fai, who had stabbed a police officer before committing suicide, causing the students to originally be charged with advocating terrorism.
- The more severe charge of advocating terrorism was later dropped as a part of a plea deal, where the students admitted to the incitement of violence instead.
- The students' actions were called into question as an open defiance against the Beijing-imposed national security laws that were implemented in response to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
- The sentencing judge, Adriana Noelle Tse Ching, criticized the former student leaders for glorifying violence and criticized their decision to pass the resolution despite the unrest it could stir within the community.