The student who launched a petition demanding political accountability after the fire that killed 128 people in Hong Kong was arrested on suspicion of “incitement to sedition”, local press reported.
The young man was detained on Saturday by agents of the National Security Police, who took him for interrogation.
The promoter of the collective “Tai Po Wang Fuk Court Fire Concern Group” launched the online petition on Friday, demanding four measures from the Government: immediate housing for those who lost their homes, creation of an independent commission of inquiry, review of the construction supervision system and accountability, including senior officials.
In less than 24 hours, the petition reached 10,000 signatures and was closed on Saturday.
Shortly thereafter, the group’s social media accounts and all links to the petition disappeared.
The central government’s Office for Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong previously denounced that “anti-Chinese and malicious individuals” spread rumors and took advantage of the tragedy to “satisfy political ambitions” and “cause chaos again”, a behavior it described as “contrary to humanity” and which will be subject to “legal punishment”.
The fire, which broke out around 3pm on Wednesday (7am in mainland Portugal) and spread quickly through flammable materials installed during renovation work, caused at least 128 deaths and 150 missing.
This incident has already led to 11 arrests for negligent homicide and alleged corruption.