Libraries Pull Off Some Books By Political Figures

Hong Kong public libraries have suspended the lending of several titles written by political figures, days after the national security law came into effect.

Several books written by activist Joshua Wong, localist Wan Chin and Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan were among copies that are no longer available for lending.

On Saturday, the books' status in the library's website show they are "under review".

The suspended titles of Chin's include works on Hong Kong as a "City-State" and Hongkongers as "survivors". Some other books of his were still available for borrowing.

Chan's tome on protests was under review, while her other books were still available.

Both of Wong's books – on his leadership of the protests against the national education curriculum in 2012 and the pro-democracy Occupy Movement in 2014 – have been pulled from the shelves.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department said in response a RTHK query that that public libraries are reviewing whether the books violate the national security law. It said they have to ensure that all of the books available are in compliance with Hong Kong laws.

Wong criticised the "censorship" as a form of white terror, arguing the national security law is "only a tool to penalise speech crimes in Hong Kong".

He wrote on social media that the books had nothing to do with sovereignty or constitutional matters, and they were written before he got involved in international advocacy work.

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