At least 12 defendants in anti-extradition bill riot cases were social workers or trainees; four including Chan Hung-sau said they attended in the course of their duties, only one acquitted
反修例暴動案至少12被告為社工或準社工 陳虹秀4人辯解到場履責 僅一人無罪
Social worker Chan Hung-sau was charged with rioting in Wan Chai on 31 August 2019. Following a retrial, she was found guilty at the District Court on Tuesday (11th) and remanded in custody the same day. Courtline’s tally found that at least 12 defendants in anti-extradition bill riot cases were social workers or people studying social work to become social workers. Four of them, including Chan Hung-sau, argued that they had attended in their capacity as social workers to defuse police tensions, “pick up children” and provide emotional support. Only one was acquitted. The person’s supervisor testified that social workers would be assigned to work at the scene, were required to wear their social worker identity cards and could not wear black clothing, which was consistent with the defendant’s clothing when arrested. The other three, including Chan Hung-sau, were found guilty. A review of the judgments showed that District Court judges inferred from conduct including wearing black clothing and loitering at the scene that the three intended to take part in the riot and assist and encourage protesters to commit acts that breached the peace. One of them was alleged to have acted as a “lookout”.
社工陳虹秀被控 2019 年 8 月 31 日在灣仔暴動一案，陳經重審，周二（11 日）在區院被裁定罪成，即日還押。 《法庭線》統計，至少 12 名反修例暴動案的被告為社工，或正修讀社工系的準社工；其中陳虹秀等 4 人的辯解是憑藉社工身分緩和警方情緒、到場「執仔」、情緒支援，僅一人獲裁無罪，其上司作供確認會指派社工到場工作，要掛社工證、不可穿黑衫，與被告被捕時衣著符合。 其餘 3 人包括陳虹秀則被裁定罪成。翻查判詞，區院法官據穿黑衣、在場徘徊等行為，推論 3 人有意圖參與暴動，協助及鼓勵示威者作出破壞社會安寧行為，其中一人被指充當「哨兵」。