Banned books on offer at Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fair as mystery over shop owner Lee Po continues
More than 1,000 copies of titles from Causeway Bay Books up for sale at Victoria Park while store remains closed after disappearance of Lee
More than a thousand copies of titles from Causeway Bay Books were being sold at the Lunar New Year fair in Victoria Park on Tuesday, despite the whereabouts of the store’s co-owner, Lee Po, remaining shrouded in mystery.
The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China stocked their stall at the annual fair with an array of books from the shop, which specialises in politically sensitive titles banned on the mainland.
Alliance chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said: “These kinds of books have been sold in Hong Kong for decades ... The free flow of information is a vital part of the city’s way of life ... We have to defend this freedom.
READ MORE: Causeway Bay Books remains closed despite claim by Lee Po’s wife: four booksellers still missing
“Localist sentiment has been gaining prominence in Hong Kong but it’s still important to understand the mainland’s political landscape,” he said.
Ho said the alliance decided to offer the books because the store’s warehouse was being forced to relocate and the books would have to be thrown away if they weren’t sold.
Lee was last seen in Hong Kong on December 30, and four of his business associates – Gui Minhai, Lui Por, Cheung Ji-ping and Lam Wing-kei – also went missing separately in Thailand and Shenzhen in October.
A number of political parties have set up booths at the fair this year, as in previous years.
The Civic Party was selling everyday items including computer cases printed with the word “Hongkonger” on them.
“Our theme this year is localism because the core values of the city are being eroded,” said party chairwoman Audrey Eu Yuet-mee.
On the other side of the political spectrum, Michael Tien Puk-sun, deputy chairman of the New People’s Party, opened his party’s stall by criticising ongoing filibustering in the Legislative Council by some lawmakers.
“Hong Kong’s economy was very lively but it is now being restricted by filibustering,” Tien said.
He accused opposition legislators of doing a U-turn by opposing the controversial Copyright (Amendment) Bill, which has been the focus of much of the filibustering.
“They changed their position completely under the pressure of internet users,” Tien said.
