Hong Kong police raided two independent bookstores, Have A Nice Stay and Greenfield Book Store, on July 15, seizing publications deemed seditious and arresting five people aged 30 to 59 in total [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The arrested include two men, aged 37 and 57, and three women between 30 and 59 years old [1, 2, 3]. Authorities said the confiscated materials were alleged to incite hatred against Hong Kong’s government, judiciary, and law enforcement [1, 3].
The raids were part of enforcement under Hong Kong’s 2024 national security law, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 7 years for seditious acts [2, 3]. Police and Customs pointed to shipments from overseas containing the allegedly seditious books as the basis for the investigation [3, 5]. Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang said, "If you are a bookseller, you have a responsibility to ensure that the books you sell do not endanger national security. I believe booksellers bear this responsibility" [3].
Have A Nice Stay was founded in 2022 by former journalists and carried works on democracy, authoritarianism, and media literacy [1, 4]. The bookstore announced on July 14 its planned closure by August 30, citing financial difficulties and unclear legal "red lines" about acceptable materials. It stated, "Given the economic situation across Hong Kong as a whole, we can only pessimistically conclude that it will be very difficult to keep going. The elusive ‘red line’ is, of course, another factor" [1, 2, 4]. Greenfield Book Store, which stocks literature on Hong Kong, Taiwan, history, philosophy, and art, also was targeted in the raids [1, 2, 4]. Neither store took part in the 2026 Hong Kong Book Fair, which opened during the week of the raids [1, 4].
This is the third wave of raids targeting independent bookstores across Hong Kong in 2026. Previous police actions took place at Book Punch in March, where four employees were arrested, and at Hunter bookstore in June, with two arrests for allegedly selling seditious publications [1, 2, 3]. Amnesty International condemned the raids, stating they "indicated the chilling reality of what the city has become: a place where you can be criminalised simply for what's on your bookshelf" [1]. Human Rights Watch also criticized the suppression and the atmosphere of fear among booksellers and writers [2].
The five individuals arrested in the July raids now face investigation under the national security law. Their cases and the bookstores’ futures remain under close watch as the August 30 planned closure date for Have A Nice Stay approaches.
