A man who sprayed paint on Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Denise Ho (何韻詩) in Taipei three years ago was ordered by the court on Monday to pay her compensation of NT$400,000 (US$12,362).
Ho, a Hong Kong singer and democracy advocate, was doused in red paint by a masked man during an event held in September 2019 in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.
The man was immediately arrested by police, who later identified him as Hu Chih-wei (胡志偉), a member of the Taipei-based Chinese Unification Promotion Party, which advocates for unification with China.
After an investigation into the incident, prosecutors in June 2020 brought criminal charges against the man and 10 other people who were accused of involvement in the attack on Ho. The charges included coercion, public humiliation, damage to property, and obstruction of an assembly.
When the case went to the Taipei District Court in January this year, Hu was the only one found guilty, and he was given a three-month prison sentence that could be commuted to a fine of NT$90,000 (US$2,780).
In its ruling, the district court said that while Hu was found guilty of throwing paint on Ho to humiliate her and ruin her clothes, the incident did not hinder her activities or obstruct the protest.
When the case was appealed, the Taiwan High Court upheld that ruling in July, and no further appeals were allowed.
Ho, however, filed a civil lawsuit against Hu, and Taipei District Court on Monday awarded her damages of NT$400,000, a ruling that can still be appealed.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel