National security law: pair arrested over weapons haul suspected of inciting secession, October 1 rally banned

University student and mother posted independence messages online, sold weapons and threatened to harm officers, police say

Investigation comes as force denies opposition group permission to hold National Day protest over Covid-19 risks and threat to public safety

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Police display items seized during the raid on the flat in Fanling. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 7:44pm, 25 Sep 2020Updated: 11:52pm, 25 Sep 2020

Hong Kong police’s national security unit is investigating a university student and his mother on suspicion of inciting secession after they were arrested over a cache of weapons at a flat in Fanling.

The specialised unit took over the case on Friday, while police separately banned a major anti-government march planned for National Day, citing Covid-19 rules and the threat to public order.

A day after the mother and son, aged 49 and 23 respectively, were placed in custody on suspicion of selling the weapons over the internet, police listed more accusations against them.

Senior Superintendent Steve Li of the police’s national security department addresses the media. Photo: Facebook

Further investigation revealed the pair had called for Hong Kong’s independence on a variety of social media platforms and claimed to have thrown pungent smelling objects at police during an unauthorised rally in Kowloon on September 6, according to police.

The pair had also declared they would use more powerful weapons against officers at future protests.

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