Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong • Hacker News Board

Re: Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong

#61

Post by Paradigma11 » Wed, Aug 07, 2019, 11:41 AM UTC

hermitdev wrote: post #56

k_sze wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the eyes of the law, the intent matters much more than whether you can actually use the “weapon” effectively, especially if it can be demonstrated that somebody with enough skill/experience (not necessarily the person being found in possession) can use the “weapon” effectively.

Also, in the case of something like AntiFa, even if you had something like a Maglite in a backpack, intent to use could easily be construed. Broad daylight, youve got a Maglite? To what end?

Because days end?

Re: Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong

#62

Post by tlrobinson » Wed, Aug 07, 2019, 4:24 PM UTC

computerfriend wrote: post #54

tlrobinson wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And in case it’s not obvious, they’re incredibly dangerous to eyesight. They’ll literally blind you before you can blink.

It really depends on the power. The lasers the protesters use wouldn't blind you due to the blink reflex. If what you're saying was true, hundreds of police officers would be blind right now.

I was referring to the 1W lasers the parent commenter mentioned, but yes of course.

A volunteer at Burning Man was blinded in one eye a few years ago: https://journal.burningman.org/2015/03/black-rock-city/tales...

Re: Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong

#63

Post by ferest » Wed, Aug 07, 2019, 10:08 PM UTC

ajdlinux wrote: post #24

bogwog wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't know about HK laws on laser pointers I think at this point you should be looking into China's laws on laser pointers, not Hong Kong's.

No. The central government maintains a tight grip on the Hong Kong Government, and of course occasionally acts of its own accord in Hong Kong (see the case of the booksellers' rendition), but for the most part they still have to let the Hong Kong legal system operate as it does. Even in light of these protests, it continues to seem fairly unlikely that Beijing will want to intervene militarily or impose direct contro…

The justice system and judges are still under UK/HK control - HK has no law/rule that only HK people could be served as judge. https://www.judiciary.hk/en/about_us/judges.html

Re: Police arrest student leader over laser pointers in Hong Kong

#64

Post by isaaafc » Thu, Aug 08, 2019, 3:11 AM UTC

Late to the party but thought I'd clarify because some comments are extremely misleading.

He's a member of the Astronomy Club. Also 7 Aug, the following night, is the "Seven Sister's Festival", a traditional festival in Hong Kong which stargazing is a common activity to do during.

Stargazing was a perfectly legal and reasonable intent. Not to say he was definitely not involved in the protests, but there was absolutely no evidence that he intended to use them as weapons.

The officers who approached him didn't show their warrant card at first. They also held his throat. Given the current situation in Hong Kong (triad members attacked citizens in public on 21 July and 5 Aug in 3 different places, and NO POLICE arrived at the scenes until well after the incidents, and so far no attacker is being prosecuted, despite the abundant video footage of the attacks), running away also was what sane people would do when they're threatened by 4 men with dubious identities.