Hong Kong drops case vs Filipino arrested during protest

MANILA, Philippines — The Hong Kong government has dropped the unlawful assembly case filed against a Filipino who was arrested in the middle of a protest last August.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed this Wednesday, noting that the decision to drop the case against the Filipino was made during a hearing in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Court on Nov. 26.

The Filipino, working as a dancer at Hong Kong Disneyland, was earlier detained in a Hong Kong police station after being arrested for allegedly participating in a protest there.

READ: Hong Kong police detains Filipino for allegedly participating in protest

In a previous statement, the DFA said that the Filipino, who had requested that he not be identified, had “categorically denied” taking part in the protest.

The Filipino had insisted that he was just in the area to buy some food when he passed through the side streets, knowing that protests were being held along the main streets.

“However, protesters were also on the side street where he was, and the former started running as they were chased by riot police. He was accosted by the police in the belief that he was one of the protesters,” the DFA earlier stated.