Hong Kong police arrests 4 from university student union

The four members were accused of advocating terrorism after they paid tribute to an attacker, an act that is recognised by Hong Kong authorities as being “no different from supporting terrorism.”

Four members of a Hong Kong university student union were arrested Wednesday on accusations of advocating terrorism when they paid tribute to an attacker who stabbed a police officer and then killed himself, police said. The detained are four males aged between 18 and 20-years-old who were committee members and members of the student council at the University of Hong Kong, said Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of the police national security division. He said the arrests were in relation to a council meeting that “promoted terrorism.” Those arrested included the president and council chairman, who were among more than 30 students who attended the meeting last month in which they passed a motion to mourn the “sacrifice” of the attacker, local media reported.