Police’s National Security Department today arrested six people on suspicion of committing “Offences in Connection with Seditious Intention”, contravening Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

Briefing the media this evening on the police operation in various districts, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said the arrestees include five women and one man, aged between 37 and 65, with one of the women being detained in a public correctional institution.

“The allegations (against) this group of people are using a Facebook page on social media to advocate hatred against the central government, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and also our Judiciary.

“They are relating to a forthcoming sensitive date.

“The main crime is not about the subject. It is about utilising the subject during which they incited hatred against the central government, the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Judiciary.

“This incitement of hatred is the cause of the crime.”

Investigations revealed that a woman, remanded in custody at the Tai Lam Centre for Women, had exploited an upcoming sensitive date to repeatedly publish posts with seditious intention on a social media platform anonymously with the assistance of the other five arrested persons since April 2024.

Apart from provoking hatred towards the central authorities, the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Judiciary, the content of these posts also incited netizens to organise or participate in relevant illegal activities at a later stage.

Additionally, Police conducted searches at the residences of the five arrested persons with court warrants and seized items relevant to the case, including some electronic communication devices suspected to have been used for publishing messages with seditious intention.

The force also warned that offences in connection with seditious intention are very serious crimes, carrying a maximum penalty of up to seven years’ imprisonment, and those who intend to endanger national security should not be under the illusion that they can evade police investigation by acting anonymously on the Internet.

It advised members of the public to discern fact from fallacy and not be misled by erroneous and twisted information, or even be incited to participate in illegal activities or acts that endanger national security.