Three Hong Kong residents who wet police officers during Thailand’s Songkran festival have been sentenced to 28 days in prison

Three men convicted for assault for throwing water pistols at Hong Kong police officers during the 2023 Thai New Year celebrations, they were sentenced to 28 days in prison, and the defense lawyer said it was unprecedented to accuse residents of assaulting officers on an occasion when the crowd was simply having fun.

Kowloon City Magistrate Philip Chan Chee-fai said on Friday that the three, previously convicted of six counts of assault, threw water on three auxiliary police officers “in full public view,” showing disrespect to officers whose duty was to protect attendees at the Songkran 9 festival April 2023

He added that taxi driver Tsang Wai-shing (27), clerk Ip Ka-kin (28) and steelworker Yuen Tsz-kin (32) did not understand the body language of two journalists from city broadcaster TVB who appeared to feel pain as the defendants shot jets of water at them from close range.

But defense attorney Joey Yuen, representing Tsang, asked the court to take into account the solemn atmosphere of the ceremony as he showed that her client did not intentionally attack the officers.

“This case had its own uniqueness. “There is not a single precedent in Hong Kong law that the accused was arrested (for assaulting police officers) during a ceremonial event (and there was) no tension during the ceremonial event (in 2023),” she said.

The lawyer said Tsang, known on social media as “Brave Dog,” merely attended the festival to film footage for his YouTube channel.

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