10 arrested for 'foreign collusion'

At least 10 people linked to the now-defunct "612 Humanitarian Relief Fund" were arrested for foreign collusion by national security police yesterday, sources say.

It was the first time second-tier workers of pro-democracy organizations have been held.

National security police arrested four men and six women, aged between 26 and 43, for allegedly colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security.

It is understood that the 10 are all former staff of the fund, including activist Bobo Yip Po-lam, Cheuk Kai-kai, Helen Hui Kun-wing, Wong Tsz-yan and Suki Tsoi Yui-chi.

Some of them are also members of a voluntary Chinese medicine group that provided assistance to protesters during the 2019 unrest, who had admitted they were financially supported by the 612 fund.

Police said the 10 were suspected of using the fund - set up to provide legal support to protesters in the anti-fugitive bill unrest - to accept donations from overseas organizations in support of people who had fled overseas or organizations that called for sanctions against Hong Kong.

The 10 were in police detention for further inquiries at 6pm yesterday. Police said the investigation was ongoing and more arrests might be made.

Officers searched the homes and offices of the 10 with a court warrant and seized documents and electronic communication devices.

In the afternoon, Yip was brought back to the Talentum Bookshop on Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei, by officers to search for evidence.

All customers in the bookstore had to register their identity with officers before they were let go. Police confiscated a computer and some evidence.

Yip has been an activist since she joined a protest in 2007 against the demolition of Queen's Pier in Central to make way for the construction of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass. She later joined the protest to stop the funding for the construction of the High Speed Rail, as well as the resumption of a village - Choi Yuen Tsuen - in Shek Kong to make way for the construction of the new railway line.

Yip was also one of those opposing the introduction of the moral and national education in primary and secondary school.

Cheuk is also an activist focusing on northern Fan Ling. She has been opposing the government's plan to develop the northeastern New Territories.

The five former trustees of the fund - Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, former lawmakers Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and Cyd Ho Sau-lan, Cantopop singer Denise Ho Wan-see and cultural studies scholar Hui Po-keung - were not among those arrested yesterday.

This is not the first time prominent figures in the fund had been arrested by the police.

In May, the five former trustees of the fund were arrested for allegedly colluding with foreign forces. They were released on bail, and no charges have been laid so far.

The five, along with the fund's secretary, were convicted in November of the less serious crime of failing to properly register the fund, for which they were fined. They have since filed an appeal against their convictions but no hearing date has been set.

The 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund was established in June 2019 at the height of the anti-fugitive bill unrest. It aims to provide legal, medical, psychological and emergency financial assistance to protesters.

It stopped receiving new cases in August 2021, and stopped giving out funds one month later, before halting its operations in October that year.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com