Man jailed for 4 plus years over Yuen Long clashes

A man was on Monday sentenced to four years and a month behind bars for his role in the Yuen Long clashes in 2019. Tang Ka-man, a businessman, was found guilty last month of rioting and conspiracy to wounding with intent. In sentencing, deputy District Court judge Amy Chan said the defendant was involved in the violence around Yuen Long MTR Station on July 21, 2019, as video footage showed he held a rattan stick and stood at the front of a 100-strong group dressed in white. The judge said the group had planned their attack as many of them were armed, which showed they were expecting the arrival of a rival group dressed in black. Chan described the assault as effecting hatred, bullying, intimidation and silencing, saying the white-shirted group should have called the police instead of, as she put it, enforcing the law themselves or using violence to express dissatisfaction. The judge added that while there was no evidence showing that Tang had caused injuries to those dressed in black, he provided help to others dressed in white and was at the scene to encourage others to take part in the rioting. Chan reduced the defendant's jail term by five months, saying he had agreed during trial that a riot had taken place and had been involved in charity.