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Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai knew US conditions for continued support of protests, national security trial told
- Key prosecution witness says Jimmy Lai told him US wanted no police or civilian fatalities and that violence should stop at some point
- West Kowloon Court told Lai initially intended to convince ‘valiant’ demonstrators to pull back from their aggressive tactics using connections of witness
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Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying sought to assume control over radical protesters and de-escalate the 2019 anti-government unrest to meet US conditions for continued support, a key prosecution witness told the mogul’s national security trial on Tuesday.
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Paralegal Wayland Chan Tsz-wah explained to the court the “expectations” of the West that Lai was trying to fulfil in his unsuccessful attempt to influence protesters during the turmoil.
West Kowloon Court heard Lai initially intended to convince “valiant” demonstrators to pull back from their aggressive tactics using Chan’s connections, believing he was closely associated with the group.
“Only when he told me at a later stage about the US government’s internal considerations, did I realise Jimmy Lai was not simply rallying for international support, but he knew certain criteria [for US support] and was trying to meet them,” said Chan, an accomplice witness.
Chan said Lai told him the United States wanted no police or civilian fatalities and that violence should stop at some point of the protest campaign, which was triggered by a now-withdrawn extradition bill.
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