3 arrested over allegedly seditious memorial outside Prince Edward MTR station

Three individuals have been apprehended by Hong Kong national security police for allegedly engaging in seditious activities during a memorial gathering outside Prince Edward MTR station. The arrests transpired on Thursday following an incident on August 31, 2019, which is believed to have been a flashpoint during Hong Kong's anti-government protests of the same year.

The police have accused the three of shouting seditious slogans, holding white flowers, and spreading false information aimed at attacking the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and inciting hatred against city authorities and law enforcement agencies. The spokesman for the police force clarified that the acts were also suspected of harming public peace.

The three arrested individuals, comprising two men and a woman, were charged under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance for committing acts with seditious intent, with the maximum penalty being seven years’ imprisonment. Two of the arrested persons are still in police custody, while the third has been released on bail. The incident at Prince Edward MTR station, which is located in a densely populated area, has resulted in multiple arrests in the past, with a total of 14 people being detained during a 2020 memorial gathering.

The police deny any allegations of an incident occurring inside the station on August 31, 2019, characterizing such claims as fabrications intended to tarnish the government's image and the police force's reputation.