Hong Kong Police Raid Two Independent Bookstores in National Security Crackdown

Hong Kong’s national security police conducted a raid on two independent bookstores on Wednesday, resulting in the arrest of five individuals accused of sedition. The operation involved seizing numerous boxes of books. The authorities charged two men and three women with showcasing items deemed to have ‘seditious intention’ and selling publications aimed at inciting animosity against the government, judiciary, and police.

This is the third instance of bookstore proprietors being arrested in recent months, part of Hong Kong’s intensified focus on literature under a 2024 national security law meant to suppress dissent. The law carries a sentence of up to seven years for offenses related to ‘seditious intention.’ The police have refrained from revealing the names of the targeted bookstores and have not shared additional details upon request. However, local news sources have identified the bookstores as Have a Nice Stay and Greenfield Bookstore, both located in Kowloon.

Have A Nice Stay was established by local journalists, some of whom were previously affiliated with Stand News, an online news platform that was closed down in 2021 following a police raid. Recently, Have a Nice Stay disclosed plans to shut down operations by August 30, citing financial difficulties and the prevailing ‘social climate.’ The bookstore communicated its decision via a notice on Instagram, stating that Hong Kong’s economic conditions are making continued operation increasingly challenging.