Brickbat: We'll Know It When We Read It
(Flynt/Mohol/Albond/Dreamstime. Illustration: Fatima Ruiz)
Hong Kong Secretary of Security Chris Tang warned booksellers to make sure the books they sell do not harm national security, comparing it to making sure food is safe to eat. This came after police raided two independent bookstores, Have A Nice Stay and Greenfield Book Store, and arrested five people for allegedly selling and displaying materials that could stir up hatred against the government, courts, and police. It was the third round of arrests in four months, raising worries about shrinking freedom of speech and unclear rules for what books are allowed. But Tang said the government will not put together a list of banned books because that would "let criminals off the hook."