Tomorrow, May 14, West Kowloon Magistrates' Court: 95 on trial for 'riot' at #GlobalAntiTotalitarianism march on Sept 29. The trial's so big, it's in 2 batches: 9:30am & 2:30pm. This was the biggest trial in #HK history 'til superseded by 242 on trial for riot for Nov 18 protest. 
The 95 were brought straight from jail Sept 29 to court Oct 2 & charged w 'riot' tho prosecution'd gathered no evidence on individual defendants.Many were originally told they'd be charged w 'unlawful assembly' but then DeptOfJustice/police arbitrarily decided to declare a 'riot'
There have been 2 hearings, in Oct & Dec. 7mo on, we're not even at the plea stage of the trial yet & I've heard pleas won't be taken tomorrow either. Defense counsels have received no evidence yet from prosecution against their clients.
Several defendants say prosecution won't be able to find any evidence on them: all they did was be there. In trial of 3 of 44 charged w 'riot' for 7/28 Sheung Wan protest, only evidence is: they were wearing black & protective gear & fleeing. Will evidence be that poor here too?
The 2 batches of the trial are divided according to where the defendants were arrested: the 9:30am batch was arrested on Queensway, the 2:30pm batch on Harcourt Rd. Follow this trial if you want a taste of the sheer madness of these 'riot' prosecutions, of which there are now 563
42% of the 1,311 #HK protesters now on trial are being prosecuted for 'riot', a controversial (& politicized) crime, part of the heavily criticized Public Order Ordinance. Someone said recently that 'riot' has become HK's version of China's 'picking quarrels & provoking troubles'
Basically, little happened in yesterday's hearings in the trial of 96 for 'riot'. Prosecution laid additional charges on some defendants. The case was moved to District Court, as expected. Next hearings: June 4.
batch 1: inmediahk.net/node/1073399
batch 2: inmediahk.net/node/1073416
batch 1: inmediahk.net/node/1073399
batch 2: inmediahk.net/node/1073416
