Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has delivered a hardline defense of the sedition arrests linked to the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze, warning that authorities will not tolerate anyone “sabotaging” society’s efforts to recover from the tragedy.

Speaking in English ahead of the Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee was pressed by foreign media to confirm reports that three people – a student, a former district councilor and a volunteer – had been arrested on suspicion of sedition, and to explain what acts were involved.

Without addressing the specific allegations, Lee stressed that anyone found breaking the law must face consequences, regardless of their background.

He said enforcement agencies have a duty to act against unlawful behavior of any nature, and that the government would show zero tolerance, particularly towards those alleged to have taken advantage of the disaster to commit offenses.

He emphasized that Hong Kong society is now focused on helping affected residents rebuild their lives and move forward together.

Describing the city as united in its support for victims, Lee issued a pointed warning: “Anybody who dares to sabotage this attempt, this commitment of society, we will do anything we can to ensure that justice will be done.”

The remarks came as Hong Kong continues to grapple with the five-alarm fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which burned for more than 43 hours and has left at least 151 people dead. There is now broad consensus that a thorough investigation and full accountability are needed.

Authorities have already arrested 14 people over suspected malpractice in major renovation works, including allegations that non-compliant, non-fire-resistant scaffolding netting was mixed into materials used on the building’s exterior in a bid to pass safety tests. Investigators believe this may have contributed to the fire’s rapid spread.

When asked if he himself should be held politically accountable, Lee described the blaze as a profound tragedy that exposed weaknesses across multiple stages of the system.

He said the incident showed there were problems in different links of the chain, and that the government must act seriously to plug all loopholes, pursue those responsible and resolve long-standing bottlenecks.

He pledged a comprehensive overhaul of the building renovation regime to prevent similar disasters in future, saying the administration would not allow entrenched interests to take advantage of systemic flaws.

“We need to ensure vested interests will not be allowed to affect to cause this tragedy,” he said.

Lee added that the government would tackle each identified problem “one by one” and is willing to listen to more views and suggestions from the public and experts, incorporating them into ongoing investigations and reviews.