Hong Kong’s national security police conducted raids on two independent bookstores on Wednesday. They confiscated boxes of books and arrested five individuals, accusing them of sedition. The arrests involved two men and three women suspected of displaying and selling publications intended to incite hatred against the Hong Kong government, judiciary, and police.

This operation marks the third instance in recent months where bookstore proprietors have been targeted. Authorities are using the 2024 national security law to suppress dissent, with the charge of ‘seditious intention’ carrying a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

The police did not disclose information about the bookstores involved, but local reports identified them as Have A Nice Stay and Greenfield Bookstore in Kowloon. Have A Nice Stay, established by journalists formerly associated with Stand News—an independent outlet shut down in 2021—recently announced its closure. The decision cited financial difficulties and unfavorable social circumstances, reflective of the city’s economic struggles.

‘The overall economic situation in Hong Kong prompts a pessimistic outlook,’ a notice posted on Instagram by Have A Nice Stay stated, warning about the increasing challenges in their operations.