World News
Hong Kong independent bookstores face closures amid police raids and security arrests
Several prominent indie bookshops are shutting down following searches, arrests under national security legislation, and growing regulatory ambiguity.
The short version
- Hong Kong national security police have carried out raids and arrested owners and staff at multiple independent bookstores on sedition and money laundering allegations.
- Multiple venues, including Greenfield Bookstore, Elmbook, and Have a Nice Stay, have announced the closure of their physical locations.
- The wave of closures affects local readers as well as mainland Chinese visitors who use the shops to find sensitive literature unavailable at home.
- Bookstore operators face growing legal uncertainties as pro-Beijing media criticize stores for alleged 'soft resistance.'
Key facts
- Police searched Hunter Bookstore on June 24 and arrested owner Letitia Wong and another individual on sedition and money laundering allegations, which they deny.[BBC News]
- Authorities arrested the owner of Book Punch and three employees in March, reportedly seizing copies of a Jimmy Lai biography.[BBC News]
- National security officers searched Greenfield Bookstore and Have a Nice Stay on July 15 during the Hong Kong Book Fair, arresting five individuals.[BBC News]
- Greenfield Bookstore announced it will shut down after 50 years when its lease ends, while Elmbook and Have a Nice Stay also announced plans to close physical storefronts.[BBC News]
- Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po criticized stores including Elmbook and Luck Win for promoting 'soft resistance' through specific political titles.[BBC News]