HONG KONG POLICE ARREST BOOM NEWS FOUNDER ON SEDITION CHARGE

Hong Kong national security police arrested Tang Ho-wing, founder of online outlet Boom News, on suspicion of incitement by spreading disinformation, according to local media reports. Sing Tao reported the arrest took place on Wednesday morning, and a source cited by the South China Morning Post said Tang was apprehended at around 7am. Police said they arrested two people on suspicion of committing seditious acts under Hong Kong's 2024 national security law, though authorities did not name the suspects. The South China Morning Post identified the second person arrested as activist Lee Ying-chi. Boom News, which has more than 66,000 followers on Instagram, had covered an August 31 gathering marking the seventh anniversary of the Prince Edward station clash between protesters and police.

According to authorities, the August 31 gathering saw people carry flowers and chant banned slogans outside a subway station, and officials allege some spread disinformation intended to incite hatred against the government and police. Boom News had posted a video containing a woman's account of the 2019 events, in which protesters claimed some people were killed during the clash. Police said on Wednesday that rumours of deaths during the incident were baseless. Six other people previously arrested in connection with the same offence were later released on bail.

The arrest comes amid what press freedom observers describe as mounting restrictions on journalists in Hong Kong following Beijing's 2020 national security law and a further law introduced in 2024. In February, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with several former staff members receiving sentences ranging from nearly seven to 10 years. No further details on charges against Tang or Lee have been confirmed by authorities.