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Crime in Hong Kong
Hong KongLaw and Crime

Hong Kong protests: 4 arrested over Facebook, Telegram calls for violent ‘Christmas Eve revolution’

  • Suspects said to have used social media to encourage others to occupy roads, raid shops and attack police officers in Hong Kong
  • Incitement offences they are accused of relate to causing grievous bodily harm, criminal damage and unauthorised assemblies

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The arrested men were aged between 22 and 52. Photo: Warton Li
Danny Mok

Police have arrested four Hongkongers on suspicion of trying to start a “Christmas Eve revolution” through violence.

The local men aged 22 to 52 were accused of inciting others on Facebook and Telegram to gather on the streets illegally and commit violent acts, a police source said.

Chief Inspector Benjamin Tai Tze-bun, of the cyber security and technology crime bureau, said the revolution call invited people to “destroy” or “renovate” property, a reference to the trashing of shops during the 2019 anti-government protests.
Chief Inspector Benjamin Tai. Photo: Handout
Chief Inspector Benjamin Tai. Photo: Handout

Among the phrases they used were “revolution requires all people to experience” and “lone wolf turning into a pack of wolves”, Tai said.

The individuals also urged people to occupy roads, raid shops, attack police officers and develop ways of obstructing law enforcement, he added.

The four were arrested on Thursday in Tin Shui Wai, Sha Tin, Yuen Long and Yau Ma Tei.

They are accused of incitement offences relating to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, criminal damage and taking part in an unauthorised assembly.

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