Arrest over petition stirs public debate

When university student Miles Kwan launched a petition demanding answers from Hong Kong authorities after one of the city’s deadliest fires last week, he was arrested.

the Fierce fire A densely populated residential area in the northern Tai Po district was destroyed, killing at least 159 people and displacing thousands.

like Public anger The fires increased, and the authorities loyal to Beijing repeatedly warned of attempts to “exploit” the fire to “endanger national security.”

Kwan was reportedly arrested by Hong Kong’s National Security Police on suspicion of sedition. He is now released on bail, according to local media.

Police told the BBC that they “will deal with any action taken in accordance with the law and the actual circumstances.”

There was also a strong public reaction to the arrest. For some, the decision to arrest him was “puzzling.” For others, it was simply Beijing’s playbook, and it was being replicated. The Hong Kong government says it is about trying to protect the rule of law at a testing moment for the city.

Ronnie Tong, a member of the Hong Kong Executive, objected to the suggestion that Hong Kong people were being oppressed. “The government is trying to be wise,” he told the BBC.

Regina Ip, another Hong Kong lawmaker, also defended the arrests. She told the BBC’s Newshour radio program that the authorities are “exerting great caution” so that public anger does not lead to “a repeat of the riots that occurred in 2019.”

Among the questions in the petition, which many Hong Kong residents are asking, are how the fire could sweep through buildings so quickly and whether any government officials should be held responsible.

“You have to differentiate between genuine expression of opinion and petitions with criminal intent. That’s what our courts will have to find out,” Ip added.

Kwan’s petition, which listed “four demands” — echoing the “five demands, not one less” slogan that rallied protesters in 2019 — gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before it was deleted.

Days later, city leader John Lee said Hong Kong would “do everything we can” to support the victims and investigate the fire.

He announced a number of measures such as: Form an independent committee To investigate the fire, review the construction work system, and provide temporary housing and financial assistance to the victims.

Many of these were what people were already asking for – and they also formed part of Cowan’s petition.

“It’s baffling how Miles was [arrested] “To ask fundamental questions on behalf of many residents, which the government continued to address anyway,” said Samuel Chu, a pro-democracy activist who reposted Kwan’s petition on a separate platform.

“This is not a political campaign. It is a humanitarian response to the tragedy,” he said.

Last week, authorities also arrested 15 people on suspicion of manslaughter and ordered them to be prosecuted. Remove the nets Of all the buildings undergoing renovations after investigators discovered that the building wrapped around the charred complex did not meet flame retardant standards.

Separately, a woman was arrested for trying to capitalize on the crisis using a fake fundraiser.

China’s National Security Bureau in Hong Kong was quick to act after last week’s debacle, warning that it would take action against anyone trying to incite “black terrorism” – a phrase Beijing used to describe the 2019 protests.

In a stronger statement this week, she pledged to punish “hostile foreign forces…no matter how distant.”

Lee, Hong Kong’s chief executive, said he would “ensure justice is done.” [served]“To everyone trying to ‘sabotage’ relief efforts.

Former district councilor Kenneth Cheung, who was among those arrested by the National Security Police, says authorities objected to content he reshared on Facebook after the fire.

“The Tai Po fire is a tragedy that worries everyone in Hong Kong,” says the 50-year-old, who is out on bail but whose passport has been seized. “Many, regardless of their political affiliation, want the perpetrators to be held accountable.”

“It’s not all about politics,” Cheung says.

Hong Kong authorities are dealing with this disaster using… Rules of play in Beijingwhich focuses on social control and system security, says Kenneth Chan, a professor of politics at Hong Kong Baptist University.

He notes how over the weekend authorities replaced community-led relief initiatives with government-backed groups.

He claims that “officials will not accept the spontaneity of these popular efforts because they want control.”

On social media in Hong Kong, comments piled up in response to the arrest. Most of them are dissatisfied with the arrests and the government’s response.

“Demanding the truth is considered incitement”? said one such comment.

When John Lee was asked at a news conference earlier this week why he deserved to keep his job after the fire, he sidestepped the question and instead vowed to blame “anyone who dares to sabotage” the relief effort.

No government official has yet resigned or been arrested over the fire. The 15 detainees on suspicion of manslaughter are bosses or employees of construction companies, while the other six detained are firefighting equipment contractors.

Some residents also criticized the decision to proceed with the Legislative Council elections, at a time when the city is in mourning. Only “patriots” loyal to Beijing are allowed to participate in the elections, which will be held on Sunday.

However, this issue continues to dominate discussions at all levels.

Some members of the Legislative Council applied for an emergency debate to discuss the fire and post-disaster relief work, but this was rejected, with the government saying it would remain focused on the fire issue itself.

In a statement to reporters, Lee said: “Yes, it is a tragedy; it is a major fire. Yes, we need to reform. Yes, we have identified failures at different stages. And precisely for this reason, we must work hard to ensure that all these loopholes are filled… to ensure that such things do not happen again.”

(December 5, 2025): This article and headline have been updated to add more precise attribution based on the arrests and that Cowan is now out on bail, include the police response to the BBC and add more context about the public and government reaction.