A back-to-normal Wednesday

Now we’ve got Lionel Messi out of our system, there’s still time for some more Hong Kong is Back to Normal Good Stories before Chinese New Year…

Agnes Chow, age 27 and currently studying in Canada, is officially wanted by police…

Andrew Kan, the deputy commissioner of the national security department … said fleeing from responsibility was “shameful.”

“No fugitive should harbour the illusion that they can leave Hong Kong and evade criminal responsibility,” Kan said in Cantonese. “Unless… Ms. Chow surrenders, she will be pursued for the rest of her life.”

Kan added that Chow was “completely devoid of integrity” and used “deceptive measures” to escape responsibility.

“People like this,” Kan said, had never reflected on their actions or how they had undermined national security. He urged such people to turn themselves in.

Convinced?

(If a newspaper interviews her, is it ‘abetting’ and thus a crime? The Justice Secretary says ‘maybe’. He does know that Hong Kong fully backs the Article 23 NatSec Law – because he hasn’t heard anyone oppose it.) 

Seventy seven-year-old activist Koo Sze-yiu faces his verdict next week…

The activist faced trial on Monday after he pleaded not guilty to “attempting or preparing to do an act with a seditious intention.” He was said to have planned to visit the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) to protest against pro-democracy candidates not being able to run in the overhauled District Council race, which took place on December 10 last year.

…Assistant Electoral Officer Mandy Lau testified for the prosecution on Monday that the REO learned on December 7 that a man – who she later confirmed to be Koo – planned to submit a letter to the officer.

The activist told Lau that he would hand in his petition before 11 am the next day and said the letter contained claims that the District Council election was “unfair” because it had a “screening threshold.”  He added he would bring along a five-feet-tall coffin and joss paper, also known as “ghost money,” as props.

…Under caution, Koo told the police that he had planned to chant slogans at the REO, including “end one-party rule,” local media reported citing the testimony of another officer. The white board had text written on it about supporting sanctions against Hong Kong officials, the policeman said.

And Althea Suen has problems giving her mitigation statement.