- Written by Kathryn Armstrong
- BBC News
Eleven people, including Hong Kong actor Gregory Wong, have been jailed for their involvement in the attack on the Hong Kong City Council during the 2019 protests.
Wong was sentenced to just over six years in prison, one of the longest sentences handed down by a local court on Saturday.
Activists Ventus Lau and Owen Chow were also among those sentenced to prison in connection with the pro-democracy movement.
Meanwhile, two journalists were fined at the time for illegally entering the legislative chamber.
Most of the defendants were convicted of rioting.
The incident occurred in July 2019 and was seen as a key moment in the pro-democracy movement that erupted over a controversial law allowing the extradition of people to mainland China.
Hundreds of protesters entered the building, spray-painted messages on the walls and carried supplies to those occupying the site.
The building suffered extensive damage, with portraits of political leaders torn from the walls and furniture destroyed.
Judge Lee Chi-ho said on Saturday that the attack caused not only physical harm but also “long-lasting” social consequences.
“Apart from the actual damage to the building, it had a symbolic meaning… [which was] According to AFP news agency, Li said he has challenged the Hong Kong government and even weakened its rule.
The protests led to the introduction of tough national security laws that criminalize broader protests and reduce the city's autonomy. The law allows China to take jurisdiction over national security cases in Hong Kong under certain circumstances.
The Chinese government and city authorities that imposed the law on Hong Kong say it is necessary to maintain stability and deny that it undermines Hong Kong's autonomy.
More than 100 people are believed to have been arrested under a law imposed by the Chinese government in 2020.
Hong Kong, a former British colony, was returned to China in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” principle. Critics accuse the Chinese Communist Party of violating agreements that give the city a high degree of autonomy and maintain its economic and social system.
Update: This article has been updated to clarify details of the Hong Kong National Security Law.