Drone plot foiled ahead of Zhang Dejiang’s Hong Kong visit
Veteran activist Tsang Kin-shing confirms asking one of five people arrested by Shenzhen police to buy an aerial device
A man arrested over an alleged plot to use a drone to disrupt a state leader’s Hong Kong visit was asked to buy the device by veteran local activist Tsang Kin-shing.
Shenzhen police on Sunday said they had arrested five people – two of them from Hong Kong and the others from the mainland – over the alleged plot, just two days before Hong Kong hosts state leader Zhang Dejiang under the highest security alert.
One of the Hongkongers, identified as a 56-year-old man surnamed Guo, was said to be helping a member of Hong Kong’s “opposition” to cause a nuisance. He was described as a long-time sponsor of the opposition camp and had procured a drone for the opposition figure, only named as “Tsang”.
Last night, Tsang Kin-shing confirmed he had asked some friends, including Guo, to buy a drone from the mainland a month ago. Tsang, a former lawmaker and now a member of the League of Social Democrats who is known as The Bull, said he had thought of using a drone for protests, not just for Zhang’s visit.