Hong Kong police arrest five amid crackdown on bookstores
Hong Kong authorities have raided two bookstores and arrested five people on suspicion of selling allegedly seditious publications, reports BritPanorama.
Officers wearing vests marked with “Police” were seen seizing boxes from Have A Nice Stay, a bookshop founded by former journalists. A video showed a bookseller being taken away as part of the operation. A similar situation unfolded at Greenfield Book Store, with authorities also taking boxes from that location, according to reports from online news outlet The Collective.
Police later confirmed the raids took place in the Mong Kok district but did not specify the bookstores involved. They arrested two men and three women on suspicion of breaching the 2024 national security law.
This marks the third wave of arrests linked to independent bookstores, following earlier crackdowns in March and June, which have drawn criticism for undermining dissent in the financial hub.
The police statement indicated that the five individuals are suspected of displaying seditious materials and selling publications that incite hatred against the government, judiciary, and law enforcement. The allegations surfaced after customs officials referred the case following the discovery of such literature in a shipment to Hong Kong from abroad, though specific titles were not disclosed.
On the day of the raids, both bookstores were closed during regular hours, with attempts to reach Greenfield and a founder of Have A Nice Stay going unanswered. Notably, Have A Nice Stay had previously announced its intent to shut down due to financial issues and an ambiguous regulatory landscape.
Historically, Hong Kong was distinguished for its freedoms of publication and expression, which led some Chinese residents to the city to purchase books considered politically sensitive. However, the environment has drastically changed in recent years. Lam Wing-kee, the owner of Causeway Bay Books, was emblematic of these shifts, gaining international attention when he revealed he had been detained by Chinese authorities after crossing into Shenzhen. His disappearance along with four others from the bookstore in late 2015 shocked many in the region, particularly given Beijing’s promise to uphold civil liberties for fifty years following its 1997 return from British rule.
Since the political unrest of 2019, the challenges faced by independent bookstores have intensified. Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s Asia deputy regional director, condemned the use of sedition charges, asserting that they are tools for suppressing dissent and eliminating spaces for free thought. She noted, “This year’s escalating attacks on Hong Kong’s independent bookstores hammer home the chilling reality of what the city has become: a place where you can be criminalized simply for what’s on your bookshelf.”
In defense of the national security laws, authorities assert they are essential for maintaining stability in the city. Chris Tang, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, has stated that the government will not maintain a list of banned books as such a measure would be impractical.
Earlier this year, police actions included the arrest of staff at Book Punch bookstore on suspicions related to the sale of seditious publications, which reportedly included the biography of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy media tycoon who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security violations. Additionally, in June, authorities detained two booksellers for similar offenses.
All those arrested in recent operations have since been released on bail, highlighting a fraught landscape for freedom of expression in what was once hailed as a bastion of independent thought.
