Four Arrested in Attempt to Flee HK

Tsang two years earlier looking small and young

Many critics are pointing out how the Hong Kong police have paraded four young men who absconded their court hearings related to the 2019 protests.

The four, ranging from 16 to 24 years old, hid from the authorities for almost two years, moved from place to place at night in cardboard boxes, and it looks like they were malnourished.

Apparently their alleged plan was to leave for Taiwan, as they were arrested at Pak Tam Chung, a peninsula in southern Sai Kung very early on Wednesday morning.

Tsang (far right) and another arrestee

The police's main arrestee is Tsang Chi-kin, who some may remember was shot by a policeman in broad daylight on October 1, 2019 in Tsuen Wan.

Now three years later he is lean and skinny with very long hair. He is also escorted by policemen that some observe are shorter that Tsang to make him look taller, perhaps in a bid to show that he is no longer the young secondary student who was shot.

Critics also note that the media are not usually allowed to photograph arrestees so closely, but a few days ago they were able to get up close, perhaps to hint to others this is what happens when you try to hide from the authorities.

It's also interesting senior superintendent Li Kwai-wah attempted to sympathise what the four young men had gone through.

"Although the four arrestees had committed some offences in the past, and violated bail conditions, after seeing what they had been through and their appearance, we felt very upset and appalled," Li said.

Tsang was shot by a policeman in October 2019

The four "were living a lie and full of fear for nearly two years -- and wasted two years of their youth for nothing."

It seems ironic for Li to say this, as the four were perhaps fearful of what would happen to them if they were arrested, which is why they did what they did. It may not have been the right decision, but this what what they chose to do.

He also noted the arrestees' long, unkempt hair, and "poor mental condition" when they were arrested.

Li says the four were supported by a foreign crowd-funding group -- based in the UK -- and some people in Hong Kong moved them to different locations for two years. One arrested was a 34-year-old man. Li said the four paid the group HK$400,000 to get them out of Hong Kong.

The four had even tried to approach the US Consulate in Central in October 2020 but were denied entry. 

Seven of 12 were convicted of perverting justice

Now the national security police are involved in the investigation, and that people who had donated to the group's crowdfunding activity may have violated the law. 

And by the way seven of the 12 people who were first reported to attempt to flee to Taiwan were handed sentences ranging from seven to 10 months in jail for perverting the course of justice.

They all pleaded guilty after having served several months in prison across the border for entering China illegally.