A book launch by a Hong Kong travel writer and democracy supporter has attracted a protest by a small group accusing him of secretly “spreading poison” two weeks after an earlier literary event by the writer was also disrupted.
Speaking to HKFP on Thursday, Pazu said five people were standing downstairs from the independent bookshop Talentum, which is on the first floor of a commercial building in Yau Me Tei, at around 6.30pm on Wednesday – one hour before the book launch began.
According to photos he shared, one woman in a green hoodie displayed a sheet of A4 paper with a Chinese-language message reading: “Under the guise of a book club, spreading poison in the dark, sneaky and covert.”
“When I approached them and asked what they were doing here and what the poison was, none of them answered questions. They quickly put on their masks when I tried to take pictures of them and one of them even tried to take my camera off me,” Pazu said in Cantonese.
“They didn’t seem to recognise me… I don’t think they went there voluntarily, but rather, they were sent by other people, who probably want to create a chilling effect for cultural events.”
The writer often comments on Hong Kong’s current affairs and is an influencer who supports democracy. He recently published a new title Wandering Manuscript, a reflection of his travel experiences over the past few years, and has been hosting book launch events since early November. The one at Talentum Bookshop was the 10th.
An earlier book launch on the evening of November 15 at independent bookshop Have a Nice Stay was disrupted by a group of people who came to the venue. They caused a disturbance, and insisted on joining the private event.
They later went downstairs and harassed people on their way in, Pazu said. As seen from photos taken at the scene, two men and four women, all wearing masks, held up A4-size sheets of paper with messages reading: “Pazu, poisoning the readers.”
Have a Nice Stay reported the incident to police and the group left immediately after officers arrived. In response to HKFP, the police said the case was classified as a “dispute.”
On Wednesday night, Pazu said the group did not enter the bookshop. “They were not the same people who harassed us two weeks ago. But the way they did things, the A4-size paper with similar slogans… I believe they were sent by the same force, but I didn’t know who are behind those people.”
Pazu said the latest book launch went smoothly. “Some participants said they felt frightened that the group was protesting there, but some just laughed if off.” He said he planned to report Wednesday’s incident to police.
The writer said he had no clue why he was targeted. “I thought about what happened over the past two weeks… what triggered their harassment and I found no clues… Actually I think we can’t figure out the reasons, and we should continue to do what we are meant to do.”
Space for independent bookstores
Hong Kong’s independent bookstores have faced mounting pressure over the past two years.
According to reports from local media outlets, independent outlet Hunter Bookstore, was inspected by staff from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department during a book launch in July.
The department accused the bookstore of hosting a public event when it was not licensed to do so but did not levy a fine.
A series of titles showcased by independent bookstores and publishers at Hong Kong’s annual book fair were removed from sale in July. The event organiser, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said it had reminded exhibitors to obey the fair’s regulations and national security laws.
In April, independent bookstore Mount Zero bid farewell to its readers. It cited a string of inspections by authorities following anonymous complaints in late 2023 as the reason for closing.
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