
Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong - isaaafc
https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1473126-20190806.htm?spTabChangeable=0
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latch
Thought I'd agree with this, but they were found in his bag. Doesn't sound
like he used them and there's no mention of whether or not they're of an
illegal class (assuming some are illegal in HK).

Another article (1) quotes the Chief Inspector as saying: "If anyone uses such
an object to attack a person, it could also be deemed an offensive weapon" but
no mention of such an attack in this specific case.

Can anyone supplement my (long-ago) grade 11 law class: is mens rea alone
isn't enough to be convicted of a crime?

(1) [https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-
crime/article/30...](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-
crime/article/3021716/tear-gas-fired-sham-shui-po-hong-kong-after-students)

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ab_c
There's actual video footage of HK police officers arresting a kid because he
had a flashlight in his backpack. They deemed it as a "weapon". Right now,
HKPD is going on a rampage and making up excuses to arrest anyone who is
brazen enough to talk back at them. It's juvenile. Good luck to the police
officers who think that they'll magically go back to their normal lives after
this. After grossly mistreating so many ppl in the community they swore to
protect, they should expect spit in their food.

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hermitdev
Some flashlights can definitely be used as weapons. A Maglite to the clavical
while holding the bulb end is a pretty sure fire way to break ones collar bone
and otherwise incapacitate an assailant. One of the reasons I keep one in my
car. I once had the use it as a deterrent in a road rage incident. Random guy
got pissed at me for driving aggressively in a school (I was driving the speed
limit and he tried to pull out in front of me from a parallel parking spot, I
had to swerve to avoid him and he followed me until I got stopped by a red
light.).

Anyways, this guy gets out of his car and starts aproaching my car, and I get
out of my car with the flashlight. Guy was easily 80-100 lbs larger than me.
He immediately stepped back and accused me of being offensive. I responded
with: you honked at me, gave me the finger, got out of your car at a light to
confront me. I'm being defensive. You also have a significant size advantage.
You have a problem with how I drive? Follow me to the police department and
I'll tell them what I witnessed. Come a step closer, and you're going to the
hospital, most likely.

Guy got back in his car and didnt follow up on my offer to speak with the
police.

Used properly, a Maglite can be a great personal defense weapon. Swing toward
the clavical (the area where neck meats shoulders). Again, hold by the bulb
end; the shape will naturally help hold itself in your hand and youve got 3 C
cell batteries at the other end which give a bit of heft to a swing.

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manicdee
A flashlight in your backpack is not a weapon.

Also an inexperienced person trying to use a blunt force weapon is more likely
to become the victim.

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k_sze
In the eyes of the law, the intent matters much more than whether you can
actually use the “weapon” effectively, especially if it can be demonstrated
that _somebody_ with enough skill/experience (not necessarily the person being
found in possession) can use the “weapon” effectively.

~~~
hermitdev
Also, in the case of something like AntiFa, even if you had something like a
Maglite in a backpack, intent to use could easily be construed. Broad
daylight, youve got a Maglite? To what end?

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Paradigma11
Because days end?

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chibg10
Some relevant context: laser pointers have been being used by HK protesters
lately to interfere with facial recognition on security cameras

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woutr_be
Some more context; they're not only used to interfere with facial recognition.
They're also being used to annoy the police officers, as well as people who
are watching from their windows when protestors pass by. I've had lasers
pointed at me when I was just looking out of my window over the protests.

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waffle_ss
Is there a reason to lase random people looking out the window? Is it to shame
you for not joining the protest, or because you could be a police or pro-China
observer, etc.?

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woutr_be
I'm not sure what the reason is. There's a hotel across the street from me,
and some people were looking out of the window, instantly they had 5 lasers
pointed at them. Someone was pointing a laser at me too.

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29_29
I support Democracy in HK. Please contact your representatives to support
Democracy too

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isaaafc
Late to the party but thought I'd clarify because some comments are extremely
misleading.

He's a member of the Astronomy Club. Also 7 Aug, the following night, is the
"Seven Sister's Festival", a traditional festival in Hong Kong which
stargazing is a common activity to do during.

Stargazing was a perfectly legal and reasonable intent. Not to say he was
definitely not involved in the protests, but there was absolutely no evidence
that he intended to use them as weapons.

The officers who approached him didn't show their warrant card at first. They
also held his throat. Given the current situation in Hong Kong (triad members
attacked citizens in public on 21 July and 5 Aug in 3 different places, and NO
POLICE arrived at the scenes until well after the incidents, and so far no
attacker is being prosecuted, despite the abundant video footage of the
attacks), running away also was what sane people would do when they're
threatened by 4 men with dubious identities.

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chvid
You try pointing a laser-pointer at a police officer around here and you will
be lucky if you are just arrested.

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thanhhaimai
> "Officers later searched his bag and found the pointers. Fong is heard
> saying he bought them for star-gazing."

This is from the article. The pointers were in his bag. He didn't point at
anyone. Your comment implied that he did, and that's factually incorrect.

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chvid
Sure. But the reason why the police is looking for laser-pointers is kinda
obvious isn't? I am merely pointing out that what you kids are getting away in
Hong Kong would have been met with a much stronger reaction elsewhere.

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thanhhaimai
You seem to carry a lot of unwarranted assumptions with you. For example, you
assume my age and call people "you kids", despite not displaying enough
maturity in your own comments. You assume the reason the police is looking for
laser pointers is obvious. It's actually not. Depends on the side you ask, the
answer could be that the police are just looking to frame the student, or that
the student pointed the lazer pointer at someone, then hid it in his bag. I
suggest you take a step back and assume fewer things. It will help you to be
more rational and less emotionally charged.

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whisk
I am pretty sure China doesn't have a restriction on laser pointers. There are
laser pointers up to 1W for sale on taobao.com

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tlrobinson
And in case it’s not obvious, they’re incredibly dangerous to eyesight.
They’ll literally blind you before you can blink.

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computerfriend
It really depends on the power. The lasers the protesters use wouldn't blind
you due to the blink reflex. If what you're saying was true, hundreds of
police officers would be blind right now.

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tlrobinson
I was referring to the 1W lasers the parent commenter mentioned, but yes of
course.

A volunteer at Burning Man was blinded in one eye a few years ago:
[https://journal.burningman.org/2015/03/black-rock-
city/tales...](https://journal.burningman.org/2015/03/black-rock-city/tales-
from-the-playa/theres-a-black-dot-in-the-middle-of-everything-i-see/)

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adamnemecek
Part of me wants to start protest at Chinese embassies in the US. I wonder
what the response would be.

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toomanybeersies
Nitpick: There's only one Chinese embassy in the USA, in Washington D.C.

The other diplomatic offices are consulates.

If it's anything like the Chinese Embassy in New Zealand, there's usually
regular protests outside, for a variety of reasons. Their response would be to
ignore them, like they usually do.

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trothamel
Double nitpick: China has a second embassy in the US, the UN embassy in
Manhattan.

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cperciva
Triple nitpick: China calls its diplomatic mission to the UN a "permanent
mission", not an "embassy".

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yskchu
With the current situation in HK, and his position, there may be valid concern
it may not be used legally

It’s not that hard to prove intent if he is really innocent

If he’s really star gazing, why does he need 10 lasers? Show some evidence of
your plan (where you are planning to go to star gaze, who you are going with
(10 lasers are a bit too many for 1 person’s needs). Have you always been
interested in Astronomy? It is rare (not impossible) for someone to suddenly
find an interest in star gazing overnight.

Of course, it may be hard for police to actually prosecute him based on just
intent - HK laws are still quite good. However, if he's been seen on the
protest frontlines, plus ownership of lasers, it might make more of a case.

HK is not a place known for star gazers really - the light pollution is
horrendous

