Hong Kong: US man loses appeal over police assault

The Hong Kong High Court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal by a former Bank of America lawyer against a conviction and jail sentence for assaulting a police officer.

Samuel Bickett was sent back to prison to serve the remainder of a 4 1/2 month sentence.

"Today's ruling is just the latest indication that the judiciary's reputation for applying the law rationally, fairly and equally is in danger," he said in a statement. "In a society with rule of law, police officers do not have free rein to do whatever they want."

Why was Bickett arrested?

Bickett was arrested for trying to take a baton from a plain-clothes police officer. He believed at the time that he was protecting someone and has said that he does not "regret stepping in that day, doing the right thing."

According to his defense lawyers, the 37-year-old American citizen thought he was breaking up a fight at a Hong Kong Subway station in 2019.

They argued that the police officer, Yu Shu-sang did not reveal his identity and so Bickett could not have known.

Videos that have been shared online show Bickett attempting to take an extendable baton from Yu's hand. Another person asked Yu if he was an officer, using a derogatory term, to which Yu first said "no" and then "yes."

Magistrate Arthur Lam said that it was understandable that Yu had not immediately said "yes" to such a "disrespectful" question.

Yu said that he had been trying to stop someone from jumping over the ticket barriers at the station.

What did the judge say?

High Court Judge Esther Toh rejected the appeal on the grounds that "Police officers or any public officers who are carrying out their public responsibilities must be protected when in the execution of their duties."

She added that the event took place during "a most violent chapter in the history of Hong Kong."

Toh reasoned that it was "entirely natural and appropriate" for Yu to strike the American as the officer was "outnumbered in front of a hostile crowd."

The incident happened in the midst of Hong Kong's widespread protests against Beijing's increasing control over the city. More than 10,200 people were arrested, resulting in over 2,700 prosecutions for offenses including rioting.

No police officers have been brought to court for misconduct allegations over the violent crackdown against protesters.

ab/rt (AFP, Reuters)