Hong Kong woman faces 2019 protest charges after returning from Australia

A Hong Kong woman who returned from Australia has been charged with carrying two laser pointers and three bottles of spray paint for illegal purposes during the 2019 anti-government protests.Ami Chan Hui-ching, 21, was escorted to Eastern Court on Monday to face charges of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and possessing an article with intent to destroy or damage property.Chan, who reportedly works as a cashier at a casino, was intercepted on a section of Oil Street between Electric Road and King’s Road in Fortress Hill on September 8, 2019.Prosecutors said Chan moved to Australia in 2021 after police decided not to charge her. They did not specify when she returned to Hong Kong during the hearing.Chan has been charged with possessing laser pointers and spray paint for illegal use during the anti-government protests in 2019. Photo: Felix WongProsecutors applied for a six-week adjournment to allow further police inquiries, confirm the status of witnesses and seek legal advice from the Department of Justice.