Update | Girl sent to children's home for drawing flowers on Occupy's 'Lennon Wall' freed after outcry
Girl spent two nights at children's home after police applied for a child protection order
Questions are hanging over the police's court application for a child protection order that subjected a 14-year-old girl to two nights' detention in a children's home before she was released on bail yesterday.
The decision to release her overturned an earlier detention order that sparked widespread criticism over the police's handling of minors.
The girl was arrested before Christmas for allegedly scribbling graffiti on a wall near government headquarters in Admiralty after the Occupy Central protests had ended.
She could have spent two more nights at the home but for Mr Justice Louis Tong Po-sun, who arranged for an urgent hearing last night after learning that the Department of Justice did not object to allowing bail.
"This is about an application for a Care or Protection Order at a magistrate's court," the High Court judge said. "[The court] should consider the girl's best interests as it is not a criminal case."
He granted bail up to January 19 on condition that the girl live with her father, continue her studies and obey a curfew from 10pm to 6am unless accompanied by her father, sister or a social worker. She must then appear in Tuen Mun Court to see if the protection order is needed.
The police said they would consider only a child's best interest and political concerns would not come into play.
