Event Summary
On 24 March 2026, national security police arrested Book Punch founder Pong Yat-ming and three female staff for allegedly “knowingly selling a publication that has a seditious intention” under Article 23’s Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, with maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment (10 years if collusion with external force). All four were granted bail on 25 March 2026, with Pong and two part-time staff released Wednesday night. Officers raided Sham Shui Po bookstore, seizing allegedly seditious publications including Jimmy Lai biography “The Troublemaker.” Lai was sentenced in February 2026 to 20 years, the longest national security term, for collusion and sedition.
The bookstore closed with a notice stating “resting for day due to emergency.” Book Punch stated on 26 March 2026, that it would close for some time as they must purchase new mobile phones and computers after the arrests. This represents escalation from previous regulatory prosecutions: in November 2025 they were charged with managing an unregistered school under Education Ordinance for a Spanish class and in January 2026 they were charged with operating unlicensed public entertainment venue under Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance for stand-up comedy class. Following the July 2025 Wen Wei Po front-page attacks accusing bookstore of “soft resistance” for selling the Lai biography and the September 2025 forced event cancellations due to anonymous complaints and speaker pressure, authorities now deploy national security charges carrying seven years imprisonment versus previous regulatory maximum two years.