Lai Tak College holds first graduation ceremony; Tang Ying-kit serves as flag bearer, regrets missing sister’s graduation and wedding
立德學院首屆畢業 唐英傑任升旗手 稱昔受錯誤資訊荼毒 憾未見證妹畢業結婚
Tang Ying-kit, the defendant in the first case under the National Security Law, drove a motorcycle flying a “Liberate Hong Kong; Revolution of Our Times” flag into police officers on 1 July 2020. He was convicted the following year of inciting others to secede and terrorism, and sentenced to nine years in prison. At a graduation ceremony held yesterday by the Correctional Services Department’s Lai Tak College, Tang, a trainee, served as the flag bearer responsible for raising the national flag. He said his imprisonment had caused many irreparable regrets, including being unable to attend his younger sister’s graduation ceremony and wedding: “As the eldest brother, I should be like a father, yet I was unable to offer my blessings.” He also said he had been unable to see his pet dog for the last time last year. Seventy-five trainees graduated yesterday after completing the Diploma of Applied Education programme. Some, including Tang, had been imprisoned in connection with the anti-extradition bill movement. Tang’s younger sister attended the ceremony and said in a prerecorded video that their parents divorced when they were in primary school, and that she and her brother grew up together, sharing things and knowing when the other was hungry from just a glance. She said she had once been angry that her brother had left her alone and, after his imprisonment, could no longer help with family matters. However, she would support him whatever happened: “Although he could not attend my graduation ceremony, I am happy that I can attend his graduation ceremony.” The siblings subsequently embraced and wept on stage.
《港區國安法》首案被告唐英傑2020年7月1日駕駛插有「光復香港 時代革命」旗幟電單車撞向警員，翌年被裁定煽動他人分裂國家罪及恐怖活動罪成，判囚9年。懲教署立德學院昨舉行畢業典禮，身為學員的唐擔任持旗手負責升國旗。他昨稱犯事入獄造成很多難以彌補的遺憾，包括無法參與妹妹畢業典禮及婚禮，「長兄為父，卻無法送上祝福」；去年亦無法見愛犬最後一面。 75名學員完成應用教育文憑課程昨畢業，部分涉反修例事件入獄，包括唐英傑。唐的胞妹昨出席畢業禮，並在其預錄的短片透露，小學時父母離異，與哥哥一同成長，互相分享，一個眼神就知道對方肚餓。她曾惱怒兄長為何拋下她一個，入獄後無法分擔家中事情；但無論什麼事她都會支持他，「雖然他無法參與我的畢業典禮，但我可以參與他的畢業典禮感到開心」。兩人其後在台上相擁而泣。