Nat. sec police charge 3 more with conspiracy to commit subversion over alleged weapons training

“Three people who were arrested by national security police over alleged illegal weapons training last December have been charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. Barriers outside West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court, in Hong Kong, on September 19, 2024. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Students Wong Kit-lun, 20, and Tang Ngai-pok, 23, as well as waiter Chan Hiu-chun, 23, appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday. They are among a group of 10 people arrested in December for alleged “unlawful drilling” – an offence under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. They stood in the defendant dock beside Gallian Pang and Lee Chun-sum, who were charged with the same offence of conspiring to subvert state power – an offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law – a week after the arrests. At the time they were charged in December, both Pang and Lee were security guards aged 24 and 25 respectively. On Thursday, the prosecution accused Wong, Tang and Chan of conspiring with Pang, Lee and “other persons unknown between November 1, 2024 to December 11, 2025 to organise, plan, commit or participate in acts to subvert the state power.” China’s national flags and Hong Kong flags are displayed in the city on September 30, 2025, a day before the 76th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. Wong faced an additional charge of possession of child pornography, an offence under the Prevention of Child Pornography Ordinance. The prosecution also announced that it was charging Lee for allegedly possessing explosives and radio communications apparatus without a licence. Possession of explosives is punishable by a maximum see a maximum of 14 years’ imprisonment, while possession of radio communications apparatus without a licence is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment. In a statement published on Thursday, the government said the December arrests were made after investigation revealed a “syndicate” that “conducted firearms drills, knife techniques, and martial arts combat in a unit of an industrial building in Kowloon.” A national security law poster. Photo: GovHK. Their aim was to subvert state power by means or threat of force, “i.e., to overthrow [Hong Kong’s] organs of power,” the government said. The arrests marked the first time authorities invoked the unlawful drilling offence. The remaining arrestees in the case have been released on bail. They are required to report to the police in mid-June, the statement added. Conspiring to commit subversion, an offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law, is punishable by up to life imprisonment in Hong Kong.

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