Hong Kong Journalist Arrested Over Alleged Sedition and Disinformation

Hong Kong police have arrested an independent journalist on suspicion of committing seditious acts and spreading disinformation, according to local media reports.

Tang Ho-wing, founder of the online news outlet Boom News, was arrested on Wednesday morning, September 30, according to Hong Kong-based media outlet Sing Tao.

The arrest is linked to a video published by Boom News about an August 31 gathering commemorating the seventh anniversary of the 2019 Prince Edward station clash between protesters and police.

The outlet, which has more than 66,000 followers on Instagram, published a video featuring a woman describing events surrounding the 2019 confrontation. Protesters had previously alleged that people were killed during the incident, claims that authorities have repeatedly denied.

Hong Kong police said on Wednesday that rumours of deaths during the clash were baseless.

Authorities also confirmed the arrest of two people on suspicion of committing seditious acts under Hong Kong's 2024 national security law. Police did not identify the suspects, but the South China Morning Post reported that the second person arrested was activist Lee Ying-chi.

According to police, the arrests were connected to an August 31 gathering outside a subway station, where participants carried flowers, chanted banned slogans and allegedly spread disinformation intended to incite hatred against the government and police.

Six other people previously arrested in connection with the same investigation were later released on bail.

The arrests come amid growing concerns over restrictions on press freedom in Hong Kong following the introduction of China's national security law in 2020 and additional local legislation enacted in 2024.

The pressure on independent media was highlighted earlier this year when Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Several former Apple Daily employees also received lengthy prison sentences.

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