Jimmy Lai says some violence ‘inevitable’ in Hong Kong protests – as it happened
Ex-media boss denies encouraging violence or glorifying ‘valiant’ faction, instead wanted restraint by some protesters
Lai has pleaded not guilty to two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the national security law and a third count of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications in relation to Apple Daily.
Friday’s proceedings mainly discussed the articles Lai wrote and published in 2019 to 2020.
Lai told the court he wrote about ways to garner support for the protest movement in the US and the international community. He said the work involved explaining the movement was about “peace, non-violence, and patience”, while sanctions or blockades were not part of his lobbying efforts.
He said his articles had no “sense of hostility or intention to be seditious” but were instead “the true reflection of the facts” he perceived during the months-long protests.
The court had adjourned the hearing in the morning to allow Lai to go through his own articles. When it resumed, the former media boss denied that he intended to incite people to commit violence during the protests.
He explained that he had called for unity between peaceful protesters and a “valiant” faction, which he said he believed could have helped to “restrain” the latter’s violence.
He also expressed regret over making “bad taste” remarks in an article in which he praised a young protester who wished death on police.
Defence lawyers are expected to question Lai for three weeks, before prosecutors begin their cross-examination.
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