RTHK said the defendants were convicted of rioting on July 1, 2019, when a large group of protesters smashed through glass doors and stormed Hong Kong’s legislative council building after weeks of mass demonstrations.
Deputy District Court judge Li Chi-ho said the storming of the building represented a challenge to the Hong Kong government and had long-lasting effects on the city, according to RTHK.
Among the defendants, actor Gregory Wong was sentenced to six years and two months in prison, while activists Ventus Lau and Owen Chow were jailed for four and a half years and 61 months, respectively, RTHK reported.
Two reporters who were previously acquitted of rioting were fined 1,500 Hong Kong dollars ($192) and 1,000 Hong Kong dollars ($128) for entering the legislature, according to RTHK.
