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OCCASION.
6. FUNG PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES ON 4 APRIL. TRIAL IS SET FOR 25 JUNE IN THE MAGISTRATES COURT.
7. THE SECOND CASE INVOLVES MESSRS. LI WING-TAT, LAU CHIN-SHEK, WONG PIK-WAN, HO CHUN-YAN AND TSANG KIN-SHING (THE FIRST FOUR ARE PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE UDHK). FOUR SUMMONSES HAVE BEEN ISSUED AGAINST LAU AND TWO SUMMONSES AGAINST EACH OF THE OTHERS FOR A SERIES OF OFFENCES COMMITTED BETWEEN 10 AND 16 FEBRUARY IN CONNECTION WITH A MARATHON SIT-IN CAMPAIGN ORGANISED AT THE STAR FERRY BY THE JOIN COMMITTEE FOR THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT. ALL SUMMONSES CONCERN THE UNAUTHORISED USE OF LOUD HAILERS AND UNAUTHORISED COLLECTION OF MONEY (EACH DEFENDANT ONE SUMMONS EACH EXCEPT LAU WHO HAS TWO SUMMONSES). EACH OF THE DEFENDANTS WAS WARNED REPEATEDLY BY THE POLICE THAT THESE ACTIONS CONSTITUTED OFFENCES BEFORE ACTION WAS TAKEN AND PROSECUTIONS INSTITUTED. THE TRIAL OF ALL THOSE SUMMONSED IS SET FOR 13 JULY IN THE MAGISTRATES COURT. LAU HAS INDICATED THAT HE NEITHER INTENDS TO BE LEGALLY REPRESENTED NOR TO PLEAD.
8. THE THIRD INCIDENT INVOLVES YEUNG SUM, VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE UDHK, WHO HAS RECEIVED TWO SUMMONSES CLOUD HAILER AND COLLECTING MONEY) IN RESPECT OF THE FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS AT STAR FERRY (PARA 7 ABOVE) AND ONE IN RESPECT OF A SEPARATE DEMONSTRATION AT CHATER GARDENS (COLLECTING MONEY) IN LATE MARCH. HIS CASE WILL ALSO BE HEARD ON 13 JULY.
9. AS WILL BE CLEAR FROM THE ABOVE, ALL THOSE INVOLVED WERE WARNED REPEATEDLY BEFORE SUMMONS ACTION WAS TAKEN.
10. THE ACTION TAKEN IN THESE CASES NEEDS TO BE SET IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EVENTS OF THE PAST YEAR. LAST SUMMER, DURING THE PERIOD OF MAY TO EARLY JUNE SOME OF THE NORMAL CONTROLS ON DEMONSTRATIONS PROVIDED FOR BY HONG KONG LAW WERE, EXCEPTIONALLY, NOT RIGOROUSLY ENFORCED FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. SUCH A SITUATION COULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE INDEFINITELY. CONSEQUENTLY SINCE LAST AUTUMN THE POLICE HAVE BEEN WARNING THE ORGANISERS OF DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW OR FACE PROSECUTION. MOST PEOPLE HAVE COMPLIED. IN THE CASES ABOVE THOSE CONCERNED CLEARLY SET OUT DELIBERATELY TO FLOUT THE LAW.
11. THERE CAN BE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THOSE INVOLVED DO INDEED WISH TO EMBARRASS THE GOVERNMENT. ALSO THAT THEY WILL TRY TO MAKE POLITICAL
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