Spreading '831' lies: National Security Department swiftly arrests 8, strictly guarding against extremist ideology infiltrating schools

The so-called "August 31 Incident" was frantically sensationalized by anti-China, destabilizing forces during the 2019 black-clad riots in an attempt to smear police operations aimed at quelling violence and restoring order. 

However, following multiple fact-based clarifications issued by various departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the "August 31 Incident" has long been proven to be fake news. Nevertheless, certain anti-China, destabilizing elements have refused to give up. 

On the evening of August 31 this year, they continued to gather outside Prince Edward MTR Station holding flower bouquets and yellow umbrellas to conduct "fake memorial" activities, attempting to incite others and provoke hatred against the HKSAR Government and law enforcement agencies.

This year, those taking part in these "fake memorial" activities not only took to the streets themselves but also conducted simultaneous live broadcasts and allowed participants to speak, allegedly inciting more individuals to join or express approval. 

Groups of young people were also seen stopping to watch at the scene from time to time. These actions drew great concern from the police. 

The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force swiftly initiated an investigation and executed two rounds of enforcement operations in September, arresting eight individuals. 

Search warrants have been issued by the court to search the premises of the arrestees, and police do not rule out further arrests.

Political commentators have noted that authorities have consistently remained on high alert against the infiltration of extremist ideology into campuses. 

In recent years, remnants of the black-clad rioters in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada have repeatedly staged so-called "memorial" rallies on sensitive riot-related anniversaries, coordinating internally and externally with local destabilizing forces.

Through street-level "brainwashing" events and online smear campaigns, they plot to instill anti-police and anti-government sentiments into schools, pushing mentally immature young people to the brink of illegal acts to become victims of a fresh round of political manipulation, thereby tearing society apart once more and rekindling the embers of riots.

Street gatherings and online live streams incite pedestrians

On the evening of August 31 this year, a group of individuals assembled outside Prince Edward MTR Station to hold "fake memorials" under the banner of "831. "

Beyond laying flowers and standing in silence, some shouted seditious slogans while others raised yellow umbrellas bearing political slogans, drawing numerous passersby to stop and observe, including teenagers who appeared to be students.

Hosts of multiple anti-government online channels also arrived at the scene to conduct live broadcasts, allowing certain participants to hype up the incident on stream. 

A political observer who monitored the activities that night discovered that a host from one channel was actively taking part in the event and displaying a yellow umbrella bearing political slogans while simultaneously broadcasting live. 

"They continually disseminated false information, suspected of spreading hatred against the police and the government, showing distinct hallmarks of the 2019 black-clad riots."

To prevent the seditious conduct from spreading further, police took decisive enforcement action that night, arresting three "ringleaders" on charges of "disorder in public places," thereby bringing an immediate end to the street farce.

Sources revealed that the National Security Department immediately launched an in-depth probe. 

On September 3, officers initiated the first round of enforcement operations, arresting the three ringleaders—identified as Chan Kwun-yuk, Fung King-man, and an individual surnamed Tam—on suspicion of committing "acts with seditious intention" under Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. 

Among them, the male arrestee surnamed Tam is suspected of having a developmental disorder and was evidently manipulated and instigated by others into participating.

Ties to notorious Mong Kok shopping tour group

Among the three arrestees in the first round, both Chan Kwun-yuk and Fung King-man were affiliated with the notorious "Mong Kok Shopping Tour Group" (Gau Wu Group). This organization previously obstructed shop operations and harassed ordinary citizens in their daily lives. On New Year's Day in 2016, its members hurled vulgar insults at Professor Lo Chung-mau and his wife on a street in Tsim Sha Tsui East.

Chan Kwun-yuk had previously been arrested for "taking part in an unlawful assembly" during the 2020 unrest. Between January 2021 and June 2022, he published numerous seditious posts on social media aimed at inciting "Hong Kong independence" and inciting hatred or contempt against the Central Authorities or the HKSAR Government. He was sentenced to five months' imprisonment in September 2022.

Another arrestee, Fung King-man, served as a Kowloon City District Councillor between 1998 and 2004, during which she submitted false receipts and inflated rental expenses to defraud HK$350,000 in rental allowances, resulting in a conviction and an 18-month prison sentence. 

She later actively participated in the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014 and was arrested for obstructing police clearance operations in Causeway Bay. In June this year, Fung was taken away for investigation by police after making gestures with seditious intent in Causeway Bay.

Two rounds of targeted enforcement operations

Following in-depth intelligence analysis derived from the first phase of operations, the National Security Department carried out a second wave of enforcement in late September once the time was ripe, arresting five additional individuals on September 27, 28, and 30. 

Beside three individuals who displayed yellow umbrellas bearing seditious slogans at the scene, the arrestees included two long-term participants in anti-government activities: Tang Ho-wing, the host of an anti-government online channel nicknamed "Boomhead," and Lee Ying-chi, a dentist known for inciting violence.

Records indicate that Tang Ho-wing founded a company in 2020 and operated the online channel "Boom News" across multiple social media platforms, listing various payment channels and launching subscription packages ranging from HK$10 to HK$70 to generate revenue. Under the pretext of supporting "fellow travelers," the platform primarily shared interview videos and daily life content to solicit donations from supporters.

On August 31 this year, "Boom News" consecutively published multiple posts concerning the so-called "831 memorial," far exceeding its typical posting volume. People familiar with the matter pointed out that Tang has consistently delivered biased commentary on political affairs to deliberately stir up antagonism and divide society.

Sources added that Tang had repeatedly appeared on sensitive anniversaries such as the "August 31 Incident," the death of Marco Leung Ling-kit, and the death of Alex Chow Tsz-lok. Rather than conducting genuine news reporting, he used "interviews" as a pretext to obstruct police operations and broadcast live on online channels to disseminate false information, attempting to reawaken memories of the riots and incite anti-police and anti-government hatred. 

"Tang was also uncovered for severe tax irregularities spanning multiple years, yet he attempted to distort legitimate statutory enforcement by the government into so-called 'political suppression,' fully exposing his nature of distorting facts and manipulating public opinion."

As for Lee Ying-chi, she was a former member of the opposition group League of Social Democrats. Over the years, she indulged in street demonstrations and anti-government activism, continuously inciting hatred and violence, spreading subversive messages, and dividing society. 

Members of the public had previously lodged complaints regarding unprofessional conduct in her dental practice. During the 2019 social unrest, she joined several "yellow doctors" in issuing a statement alleging a "humanitarian crisis" to smear police enforcement.

Following her arrest at her residential estate, local community members noted that Lee frequently stirred up trouble and engineered conflicts within the neighborhood. Reports indicate that even after the National Security Law took effect, she remained obstinate and repeatedly attended activities on sensitive riot anniversaries, routinely carrying a backpack tied with a scarf printed with violent slogans such as "Must Perish."

"She frequently voiced distorted remarks in her clinic claiming people needed to 'resist,' exploiting her professional status to mislead patients and colleagues as a black sheep of the healthcare sector. Simultaneously, she regularly appeared at court hearings of riot cases as a 'prison van chaser' or 'court spectator,' attempting to exert political pressure on judicial authorities and undermine the rule of law."

Misinformation 'brainwashing' youth and infiltrating schools

On the night of August 31, numerous young people lingered around Prince Edward Station, with some even participating in the so-called "memorial." Some appeared confused and seemed influenced by the atmosphere. 

Concurrently, several individuals clad in black and holding yellow umbrellas continuously chanted seditious slogans, spoon-feeding false narratives to young bystanders, deliberately repackaging the long-debunked "831" falsehoods as "truth," and misleading young people into misjudging right from wrong.

Figures in the education sector expressed grave concern that using street and online channels to "brainwash" youths and carry misleading narratives into schools would re-implant anti-police and anti-government sentiments in classrooms. 

"They push impressionable young people to the edge of criminal conduct, turning them into sacrificial lambs for a new wave of political manipulation, tearing society apart again, and reigniting unrest. All sectors of society must stay vigilant and resolutely stop these extremist ideas from infiltrating campuses and poisoning the next generation."

These concerns are grounded in fact. Recently, a candidate cabinet for a secondary school student union used an influencer alliance named after mental health patients for promotional campaigning. 

Netizens quickly pointed out that the alliance possessed an extensive criminal record, including arrests over mailings containing razor blades sent to public organizations, schools, and churches as intimidation, while another member was convicted of criminal damage for defacing the tombstone of rock musician Wong Ka-kui. Concerns arose that students were being exploited or recruited into unlawful organizations.

In reality, the so-called "August 31 Incident" has been thoroughly clarified with concrete evidence by multiple government bodies over the years. Police provided transparent timelines and casualty figures for that night, while the Fire Services Department and Hospital Authority repeatedly clarified rescue records and hospital admissions, confirming that no fatalities were ever concealed. Mainstream media outlets never reported any deaths. 

"Han Baosheng," an individual repeatedly mourned as "deceased" by anti-China forces, was actually a Hong Kong resident named Jim Wong living in the United Kingdom, who subsequently surfaced publicly in the UK to recount his story, completely shattering the "831" narrative as pure fabrication.

Cutoff of foreign funding triggers overseas political posturing

Political analysts observed that groups in Western countries such as the UK, the US, and Canada have repeatedly staged rallies and moments of silence on sensitive anniversaries, coordinating with local anti-China elements. 

On one hand, they incite anti-government sentiment and confrontation domestically; on the other, they export disinformation overseas to smear the Central and HKSAR governments on international platforms. 

Moreover, amid mounting panic over denied visa extensions, arrests, and severed funding from foreign sponsors, fugitive anti-China elements abroad are eager to curry favor with their "foreign masters" ahead of sensitive political milestones like the US midterm elections to gain political capital.

Analysts emphasized that the 2019 black-clad riots severely battered Hong Kong, dealing an unprecedented blow to the rule of law and the city's international reputation; social order was hard-won. 

The swift and decisive arrests by the National Security Department demonstrate a firm resolve to safeguard national security and send a clear message: the Hong Kong Police will resolutely crack down on and severely punish any conduct endangering national security and public welfare. Every violation of the law will be held accountable, laws will be strictly observed, and enforcement will remain uncompromising.

"Fake news must never be dismissed as trivial; the outbreak of the 2019 unrest was fueled precisely by a series of lies and smears. International jurisprudence and sentencing demonstrate that utilizing fake news to incite treason is an extremely grave offense," an analyst added. "The signs of black-clad rioters manufacturing rumors are resurfacing today and must be extinguished early. Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law; freedom of speech has never been a protective talisman for inciting hatred and endangering national security. Police and law enforcement agencies will take resolute action to prevent remnants of the riots from staging a comeback, safeguarding the city's hard-earned peace and stability."

Hong Kong Journalists Association ignores Western precedents on sedition

Following the enforcement action, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) issued a statement expressing concern that frontline journalists reporting on public events might face similar risks, calling on police to explain the grounds for the arrests.

However, none of the eight arrests involved journalistic reporting or freedom of the press. All eight were arrested on suspicion of "doing an act or acts with seditious intention," with Chan Kwun-yuk, Fung King-man, and Tam facing additional counts of "disorder in public places."

Informed sources noted that Western nations typically impose far stricter legal frameworks and harsher penalties for sedition and offenses against national security.

For example, in the aftermath of the 2021 US Capitol riot, Enrique Tarrio, former leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, was convicted of seditious conspiracy and sentenced to 22 years in prison for organizing and inciting the violent breach to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power.

Sources added that in 2021, a British man sent approximately 16,000 messages via Telegram denouncing vaccines as "poison," advocating the purchase of crossbows, and encouraging the manufacture of petrol bombs, resulting in a three-year and three-month prison sentence for encouraging terrorism. 

This demonstrates that spreading hatred, inciting violence, and destabilizing public order are met with severe punishment in Western nations, reflecting a broad international consensus.

Exploitation of individuals with mental disabilities

Instigators of violence have repeatedly enlisted individuals with developmental or mental impairments. 

For instance, the banned organization "Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union," founded by Keung Ka-wai to advocate notions such as "Liberate Hong Kong" and "Hong Kong Independence," recruited autistic youth and impressionable 15-year-old secondary school students as members.

Two youths with autism joined the group and took part in online discussions regarding the party constitution and proposed sanctions against mainland and Hong Kong officials. 

Under police caution, they stated they had participated out of curiosity and a desire to secure political asylum in Canada. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession under the Hong Kong National Security Law and were sentenced in the District Court in September this year to 36 and 38 months' imprisonment, respectively.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Keung recruited them purely for political gain, completely abandoning them once they were arrested. This exemplified the cynical tactic of anti-China elements deliberately choosing impressionable youth to take the frontline risks while remaining safely behind the scenes—the classic method of "urging others to charge forward while slipping away themselves."

Multi-pronged efforts to safeguard schools against extreme thought

In recent years, the Legislative Council has discussed the channels and tactics through which extremist ideas infiltrate schools. 

The Security Bureau analyzed that local radical organizations recruit members in a manner mirroring trends in international terrorism, primarily utilizing social media, while signs also suggest attempts to introduce terrorist ideology into school settings or recruit students on campus.

Furthermore, certain student concern groups, political organizations, and even private tutoring centers have willfully indoctrinated students with improper values, disseminating false or biased narratives to induce hatred against the country and the SAR government, and even advocating violence and illegal behavior to achieve political goals.

Consequently, the government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to advance national security and guard against extremist infiltration into schools. Police are actively strengthening partnerships with schools through School Liaison Officers, educating students on the societal dangers of terrorism, how to recognize extreme ideology, and how to take preventive measures. 

In addition, April 15 has been designated as "National Security Education Day," featuring activities across all Hong Kong districts, including student quizzes, lighting design contests, and seminars to enhance youth awareness.

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