Hong Kong teen activist acquitted over China protest

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court has acquitted teen pro-democracy leader Joshua Wong of obstructing police at a protest two years ago against China’s tightening hold on the city.

A magistrate on Tuesday found Wong and three others not guilty, according to a post on the Facebook page of his political party, Demosisto.

The 19-year-old activist captured world headlines when he led pro-democracy street protests in late 2014 against Beijing’s decision to restrict elections in Hong Kong.

READ: Hong Kong student leader Joshua Wong charged over protests

The obstruction charges stemmed from a separate protest months earlier in which Wong and the others set fire to an oversized cardboard prop representing a “white paper” policy document issued by China’s communist leaders.

The document said Beijing has complete authority over Hong Kong, a semiautonomous Chinese region.