One of the defendant’s cell phones was found to contain premeditated text messages sent before the crime.
The three defendants were, Zhou Yonglin (43 years old, construction worker), Hu Aimin (47 years old, unemployed), and Tuo Chun Sun (53 years old, unemployed).
The prosecution presented some SMS message screenshots, such as “If I get into trouble, my big brother will have someone provide me with living expenses,” sent via defendant Hu’s confiscated cell phone the night before the crime.
Hu also wrote in a WeChat message, “let’s mess up Falun Gong everywhere tomorrow!”
The prosecution requested to submit Hu Aimin’s cell phone message screenshots as evidence. Since those messages were sent before the incident, the prosecutors believed the defendants had planned, organized, and later committed the crime.
Hu’s defense lawyer objected to the prosecution’s request to present the messages as evidence in court. The defense admitted that the screenshots were from Hu’s cell phone but argued that the text messages pre-and post the action was irrelevant to the case.
The magistrate concluded that the WeChat messages included mentions of Falun Gong; hence, they were relevant to the case and approved the prosecution’s submission request.
As for the other SMS messages, the judge denied their entry as evidence since nothing relevant was said related to the case.
Defendant Suspects Caught on Camera
The prosecution summoned police officer Chu from the Hong Kong West Kowloon Crimes Unit, who was involved with the case.Officer Chu stated that from comparing the clothes and figures, the three defendants looked very similar to the three people on video who committed the attack at the crime scene.
Several videos played by the court showed that two men wearing black and white shirts used Stanley knives to cut and damage Falun Gong practitioners’ exhibits in Wong Tai Sin and Mong Kok. They also sprayed the displays with paint. A man in a floral shirt was shown filming the process.
The police found clothing at the defendant’s home similar to those worn at the crime scene; they also found knives suspected of being used to tear apart the Falun Gong exhibits.
The court played several surveillance footage videos, revealing to the witnesses that the three men left Nathan Road after committing the crime in Mongkok and went into the Ocean Fish and Seafood Restaurant in Jordan for dinner together.
The Attack
In April 2021, Falun Gong members and their street stalls in Hong Kong were attacked many times by a group believed to belong to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The police later arrested eight people. Four admitted to the crime of criminal damage and were sentenced to eight months in prison, one person was not prosecuted.The above three defendants planned to plead not guilty. However, Zhou switched his plea at the last minute, right before court began.
Attacks Targetting Falun Gong in Hong Kong
The CCP has been persecuting Falun Gong in China since 1999. Even though Hong Kong Falun Gong members had been able to protest against the regime’s persecution peacefully, they continued to be harassed and threatened by pro-communist organizations.The CCP’s disruption of Falun Gong activities in Hong Kong has been ongoing since 2012.
Hu is a Repeat Offender
Hu Aimin, one of the defendants, has been a frequent offender in harassing and destroying Falun Gong stalls. In December 2020 alone, Hu targeted and destroyed the Falun Gong outdoor exhibits five times.He was later convicted and sentenced to two weeks imprisonment with 30 months probation.
Attacks Become Increasingly Vicious
In September 2019, Ms. Liu, a Falun Gong practitioner, bled heavily after CCP thugs had beaten her after she had met with the Hong Kong police to discuss a demonstration planned for Oct. 1, 2019, a tactic suspected of being used by the CCP to deter the group.Falun Gong
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind and body practice that follows the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance and is rooted in 5,000 years of Chinese culture and history. Since the introduction of the practice in 1992, Falun Gong has attracted tens of millions of adherents worldwide with its tranquil exercises and meditation, as well as its teachings on becoming a better person.
