Two independent Hong Kong bookshops have closed or announced imminent closures after searches by national security police that led to five arrests. Greenfield Book Store, open since 1976, will shut when its lease ends after 50 years, while Have A Nice Stay closed immediately following a raid. Authorities say the actions relate to alleged sale or display of "seditious" items under Hong Kong's 2024 national security law; the security chief warned booksellers to avoid materials that might "endanger national security."
Independent Hong Kong Bookshops Close After National Security Raids
National security police raided Hong Kong bookshops Have A Nice Stay and Greenfield Book Store (Bertha Wang)
Two of Hong Kong's independent bookshops have announced closures following searches by national security police this month that resulted in five arrests. The actions mark another development in an ongoing crackdown on bookstores and publishers under tightened security laws.
Closures and Immediate Impact
Greenfield Book Store, a fixture of the city's independent bookshop scene since opening in 1976, said it will close when its rental contract ends later this year, marking 50 years in business. On social media the store thanked customers:
"Grateful to everyone for being with us through thick and thin for the past 50 years, thank you, take care."
Have A Nice Stay, a bookshop run by former journalists that was also searched, posted a notice saying it would cease operations immediately. An AFP reporter saw a sign at the shop reading:
"As of today, Have a Nice Stay will cease operation temporarily."
The shop said it would inform customers who had placed online orders about next steps. The store had previously announced plans to close in August, citing the social environment, financial pressures and what it described as "the elusive red line."
Law Enforcement and Legal Context
Police executed searches at both shops this month and arrested five people on suspicion of displaying and selling "items with seditious intent." Authorities have increasingly targeted bookstores for alleged seditious material under Hong Kong's local national security law enacted in 2024, alongside broader legislation imposed by Beijing after the 2019 democracy protests.
Following the raids, Security Chief Chris Tang warned that booksellers must ensure the items they sell "do not endanger national security."
What This Means
The closures underline the pressures facing independent cultural and literary spaces in Hong Kong amid tighter legal scrutiny. Bookshops that have long served as venues for debate, dissent and historical memory are now weighing commercial and legal risks in deciding whether to remain open.
Reported by AFP. (cla/dhw/lga)
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