Contemplating the locality’s name, Leung Tin, one might ponder its significance. Leung Tin carries echoes of a past life.
Leung Tin is a place not untouched by Hong Kong’s complex story. It is a story of activists and national security. It is a story of shifting freedoms.
In February 2025, Hong Kong police took in two relatives of ex-district councillor Carmen Lau. They wanted to aid an investigation. Carmen Lau is wanted for allegedly breaching the national security law. National security police arrived at a residence in Tai Wai around 7 am on a Monday. They took away Lau’s 66-year-old uncle and 63-year-old aunt. They were reportedly brought to Sha Tin Police Station.
The police stated that on February 10, the National Security Department brought two individuals to the police station. They assisted in the investigation. The case is still under investigation and no arrest has been made so far. Lau lives in the UK according to her social media page. She was among six overseas activists facing fresh national security arrest warrants. Police issued these warrants in December.
A member of the now-disbanded Civic Party, Lau was accused of inciting secession. She allegedly colluded with a foreign country to endanger national security. According to her wanted notice, she published social media posts. She gave speeches advocating for Hong Kong’s separation from China. Lau also requested foreign countries to engage in hostile activities against China and Hong Kong.
Police are offering a HK$1 million reward. This reward is for information that could lead to the activists’ arrests, including Lau’s. Separately, she is wanted for inciting blank votes. These blank votes were a form of protest in the 2021 Legislative Council elections. These elections were the first after an overhaul. The overhaul required candidates to be deemed patriots by the authorities to run. Lau left Hong Kong in July 2021. She is currently a senior international advocacy associate. She works at the Hong Kong Democracy Council. This US-based NGO raises international support for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong.
These arrest warrants marked the third time police had issued such notices for overseas activists. The first time was in July 2023. The police force issued arrest warrants for eight activists. These included former lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok. Police said they had seriously violated national security offences. They called for sanctions against local officials. They schemed for foreign countries to undermine Hong Kong’s status as a financial center.
In December 2023, police issued a second round of warrants to five activists. Among them was Simon Cheng. He is the founder of Hongkongers in Britain. This group supports Hongkongers settling in the UK. Chinese authorities detained him. This happened as he attempted to return to Hong Kong from a business trip in Shenzhen in August 2019. He was granted asylum by the UK government in 2020.
A total of 19 activists have been issued arrest warrants for alleged national security offences. Police have called on the activists to return to Hong Kong and surrender themselves. Officers have been taking in the relatives and colleagues of those activists for investigation. Officers have taken in pollster Robert Chung for questioning twice. This happened after an arrest warrant was issued for his ex-colleague Chung Kim-wah. He worked with him at the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute PORI. Besides Robert Chung, Chung Kim-wah’s wife and son had also been questioned. His three siblings and at least two PORI staff members faced questioning by national security police.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020. This followed a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalized subversion secession collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts. These were broadly defined to include disruption to transport. The move gave police sweeping new powers. It led to hundreds of arrests. Dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city. They reject criticism from trade partners the UN and NGOs.
Leung Tin stands as a silent witness. It watches the ebb and flow of political tides. It sees the changing face of Hong Kong.