Hong Kong’s National Security Department has arrested Boom News founder Tang Ho-wing and a dentist, bringing to eight the number of people arrested in a national-security investigation. The two were arrested on September 30 and remained detained for investigation, while police said the arrest operation was continuing.
Police allege that on the night of August 31, someone stood outside Prince Edward Station holding flowers and shouting what police described as inciting slogans. They also allege that a reporter livestreamed from the scene while holding a yellow umbrella. Police link the alleged activity to the dissemination of false messages and an offence under Article 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
The arrests took place in three rounds. Police arrested two men and one woman on September 3, followed by one man and two women on September 27 and 28. Tang and the dentist were arrested in the third operation on September 30.
Tang runs Boom News as a one-person media platform and has previously worked as a journalist for the Chinese University student newspaper. The dentist was a former member of the League of Social Democrats.
The six people arrested before September 30 had been released on bail pending investigation.