Three Hong Kongers who drenched police officers during Thailand’s Songkran festival were given 28 days in prison

Kowloon city magistrate Philip Chan Chee-fai said on Friday that the trio, previously convicted of six assaults, had splashed water on three auxiliary police officers “in full view of the public”, killing the officers whose duty it was to arrest the participants. to protect the disrespected. at the Songkran Festival on April 9, 2023.

He added that taxi driver Tsang Wai-shing, 27, clerk Ip Ka-kin, 28, and steel fixer Yuen Tsz-kin, 32, had failed to pick up the body language of two journalists from city broadcaster TVB, who appeared in pain when the defendants shot jets of water at them from close range.

But attorney Joey Yuen, who represented Tsang, asked the court to take into account the festive atmosphere of the festivities, saying it showed her client had not deliberately attacked officers.

“This case had its uniqueness. “There is no precedent in Hong Kong law showing that a suspect was arrested (for assaulting police officers) during a celebratory event (and there was) no tension during the celebration (in 2023),” she said.

The lawyer said Tsang, known on social media by his alias “Brave Dog,” had only attended the festival to film content for his YouTube channel.

In Thai tradition, pouring water symbolizes the removal of sins and bad luck.