--- description: Six people were arrested for social media posts related to a "sensitive date," per authorities, ahead of the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. title: Hong Kong Makes First Arrests Under New Security Law image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd83def13d4e790cd/698a5745b21a9c72f450a0b0/Hong-Kong-National-Security-Law-Arrest-Tiananmen.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Hong Kong topic](/tag/hong-kong/) ## Hong Kong topic Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Hong Kong Makes First Arrests Under New Domestic Security Law by [Alan Wong / Bloomberg](/author/bloomberg/) ## Alan Wong / Bloomberg Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 28, 2024 10:30 AM CUT  A policeman at the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) in Hong Kong on June 8, 2023. A policeman at the Court of Final Appeal (CFA) in Hong Kong on June 8, 2023.Isaac Lawrence—AFP/Getty Images by [Alan Wong / Bloomberg](/author/bloomberg/) ## Alan Wong / Bloomberg Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 28, 2024 10:30 AM CUT Hong Kong’s national security police arrested six people using a new security law for the first time, days ahead of the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Police said a woman currently under detention made social media posts with seditious intent with the help of five others, according to a government statement on Tuesday. The postings incited people to join unlawful acts close to a “sensitive date.” They were suspected of violating the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 7 years of imprisonment. The arrests were made about two months after officials fast-tracked the legislation and prompted overseas warnings it could muzzle free speech in the city. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6982629/hong-kong-first-arrests-new-security-law/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6982629/hong-kong-first-arrests-new-security-law/"},"headline":"Hong Kong Makes First Arrests Under New Domestic Security Law","datePublished":"2024-05-28T10:30:43.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T17:41:12.881Z","description":"Six people were arrested for social media posts related to a \"sensitive date,\" per authorities, ahead of the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.","url":"https://time.com/6982629/hong-kong-first-arrests-new-security-law/","keywords":["Hong Kong topic","wire","overnight","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd83def13d4e790cd/698a5745b21a9c72f450a0b0/Hong-Kong-National-Security-Law-Arrest-Tiananmen.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alan Wong / Bloomberg"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd83def13d4e790cd/698a5745b21a9c72f450a0b0/Hong-Kong-National-Security-Law-Arrest-Tiananmen.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"HONG KONG-CHINA-POLITICS-TIANANMEN-COURT","caption":"HONG KONG-CHINA-POLITICS-TIANANMEN-COURT","creditText":"Isaac Lawrence—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/hong-kong/","name":"Hong Kong topic"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6982629/hong-kong-first-arrests-new-security-law/","name":"Hong Kong Makes First Arrests Under New Domestic Security Law"}}]}] ```