Trio Arrested 'for Inciting National Day Violence'

The police have arrested three people for allegedly inciting others to stage illegal protests on National Day but denied targetting anyone over possible trouble during the upcoming holiday.

The police alleged on Tuesday that two 19-year-old students and a 30-year-old transport sector worker posted incitement messages online, which also called on people to attack police officers.

The suspects are accused of inciting others to commit arson, public nuisance and illegal assembly by writing on social media platforms like Telegram.

"By no means we're targetting anyone or targetting a particular event or day. It's more like targetting the content of some of the incitement messages," Benjamin Tai, chief inspector from the Technology Crime Division, said.

"To us, that's critical because the incitement, the act, has a criminality in it and is also affecting other citizens of the society."

Authorities have already turned down a planned rally by the Civil Human Rights Front calling for the release of 12 Hong Kong people detained in Shenzhen, and there have been calls online by others to stage unauthorised rallies on October 1.

Earlier on Tuesday, Beijing's liaison office issued a stern warning to anyone who may be planning to organise protests on National Day. It also said inciting others to attack the police or buy weapons is a blatant challenge to the national security law in the SAR.