Hong Kong will not tolerate those who “exploit” the fatal Tai Po fire and “sabotage” society’s effort to support the victims, chief executive John Lee has said, following three reported arrests for alleged sedition.
National security police reportedly arrested three people over the weekend for alleged sedition in relation to the fatal fire that hit Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last week.
Those arrested were university student Miles Kwan, who organised a petition calling for an independent probe into the blaze; ex-district councillor Kenneth Cheung; and a volunteer handling supplies for fire victims.
Asked about the arrests on Tuesday, Lee said: “I will not tolerate any crimes, in particular crimes that exploit the tragedy that we are facing now.”
“Society [and] everybody in Hong Kong are uniting to help those who suffer… Anybody who dares to sabotage this attempt, this commitment of society, we will do anything we can to ensure that justice will be done.”
Lee’s remarks come after Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Monday that some “ill-intentioned individuals” were taking advantage of the fire to incite hatred against the government by spreading false information.
Kwan, who was arrested on Saturday, was seen leaving Cheung Sha Wan police station in a taxi on Monday afternoon.
Before the arrest, he initiated a petition calling for “four big demands”: government accountability, an independent probe into possible corruption, proper resettlement for residents, and a review of construction oversight.
The online petition, which gained over 10,000 signatures in less than a day, disappeared following his arrest.
Cheung, a former Tuen Mun district councillor, said on social media on Monday that he was granted bail pending investigation after he was arrested on Sunday evening.
In a separate post on Tuesday, Cheung said that he could not reveal further information due to a “confidentiality order for national security cases,” adding that he had surrendered his passport, mobile phone, and laptop.
At least 151 people have died in the Wang Fuk Court fire, which broke out on Wednesday afternoon and was largely extinguished only on Friday morning.
Around 30 people remained unaccounted for, Chief Superintendent Karen Tsang of the police force’s casualty inquiry unit said on Monday, adding that authorities feared some may not be found as their remains were reduced to ashes.
The chief executive said on Tuesday that authorities will set up an “independent committee” led by a judge to review the “system failures” in building renovation mechanisms and regulations in Hong Kong.
Authorities have so far arrested 14 people linked to the renovation project at the Tai Po housing estate on suspicion of manslaughter and corruption.
On Monday, the Disaster Victims Identification Unit (DVIU) of the police force began combing Wang Sun House and Wang Cheung House, the last two of the seven blocks ravaged in the fire that had not been searched.
It is estimated that the investigation at the charred estate will be completed within three weeks.
