Kids books called seditious in Hong Kong

HONG KONG — Hong Kong police arrested five trade union members Thursday over children’s books they described as seditious, and a court denied bail for four editors and journalists held on charges of endangering national security, as part of a widening crackdown on dissent in the city.

The five who arrested are members of the General Association of Hong Kong Speech Therapists, according to media reports.

The association published three children’s books that Li Kwai-wah, a senior superintendent of the national security department, said have seditious intent.

The books feature stories that revolve around a village of sheep that has to deal with wolves from a different village. The sheep take action like going on strike or escaping by boat, according to the synopses published on the association’s website.

Li said that the stories referred to the 12 Hong Kong activists who were arrested at sea while trying to flee the city, after most of them were charged over anti-government protests in 2019. There was also was a story about wolves who are “cruel and try to occupy the area” where the sheep live, and try to kill them, Li said.

“Of course, when we prosecute the case, we are not the one to prove that these materials have actually caused the inciting to others,” said Li.

The publishing of such books “brings hatred against the government and administration of justice, and [incites] violence to others,” Li said. He added that the books targeted children between ages 4 and 7.