Tong Ying-kit , who is accused of deliberately driving his motorcycle into a group of police officers on July 1, arrives in West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts in Hong Kong on July 6, 2020. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - A Hong Kong court denied bail on Monday to the first person charged with inciting separatism and terrorism under the city’s new national security law after he carried a sign saying “Liberate Hong Kong” and drove his motorbike into police. 

Tong Ying-kit, 23, was arrested after a video posted online showed him knocking over several officers at a demonstration last Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the new law came into effect. 

The HK government has said the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, connotes separatism or subversion under the new law. 

The Chief Magistrate referred to Article 42 of the new security law in denying bail

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Tong, who was unable to appear in court on Friday as he was being treated in hospital for injuries sustained in the incident, appeared in court in a wheelchair. 

In rejecting bail, Chief Magistrate So Wai-tak referred to Article 42 of the new law, which states that bail will not be granted if the judge has sufficient grounds to believe the defendant will continue to endanger national security. 

The next hearing has been scheduled for Oct 6 and Tong was remanded in custody. 

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