A 20-year-old has been sentenced to four years in prison for planning to make bombs to attack Hong Kong police after the memorial service of a university student who died during the 2019 anti-government protests.

Deputy District Judge Don So Man-lung said on Tuesday that the case was serious due to the nature of Srisanga Hon-wing’s intentions.

“Hong Kong is densely populated, and fires often cause serious injuries and property damage. The court must impose a severe sentence; otherwise, there could be serious damage to public property,” the judge said.

Srisanga was found guilty last month of conspiracy to commit arson for planning to make bombs and hurl them at police after a service to remember Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student Chow Tsz-lok at Po Fook Memorial Hall in Tai Wai on December 12, 2019.

Chow, who was a second-year university student, died after he reportedly fell from the third to the second floor of a car park in Tseung Kwan O in November 2019 while police were carrying out an operation to disperse protesters nearby, with rounds of tear gas fired.

Srisanga intended to get a HK$10,000 reward paid by an unknown person.

So said the defendant had “added fuel to fire” and “acted as encouragement to other rioters”, especially given the timing of the case.