香港有人因火災請願而被捕引發公眾討論 (2/2)

Recently Google News on-line picked up the following:

Arrest over fire petition stirs public debate in Hong Kong (2/2)

5 Dec 2025

BBC - Kelly Ng

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In the past week, authorities have also arrested 15 people on suspicion of manslaughter and ordered the removal of mesh netting from all buildings undergoing renovations after investigators found that the one wrapped around the charred complex did not meet flame retardant standards.

Separately, one woman has been arrested for trying to profiteer from the crisis using a fake fundraising campaign.

China's national security office in Hong Kong swung into action swiftly after last week's disaster, warning that it would take action against anyone trying to instigate "black terror" - a phrase Beijing had used to describe the 2019 protests.

In a more strongly-worded statement this week, it vowed to punish "hostile foreign forces... no matter how far away" they may be.

Lee, Hong Kong's chief executive, said he would "ensure justice is [served]" to anyone who tries to "sabotage" relief efforts.

Former district councillor Kenneth Cheung, who was among those arrested reportedly by national security police, says authorities took issue with content he re-shared on Facebook following the fire.

"The Tai Po fire is a tragedy that concerns everyone in Hong Kong. Many, regardless of their political loyalties, want the culprits to be held accountable," says the 50-year-old, who is out on bail but has had his passport impounded.

"Not everything is about politics," Cheung says.

Hong Kong authorities are dealing with this disaster using Beijing's playbook, which focuses on social control and regime security, alleges Kenneth Chan, a politics professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University.

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

"Officials will not embrace the spontaneity of these grassroots efforts because they want control," he alleges.

On social media in HK comments piled in responding to the arrest. Most of them unhappy over the arrests and the government response.

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

Asked at a news conference earlier this week why he deserves to keep his job following the fire, John Lee sidestepped the question and instead pledged to take to task "anybody who dares to sabotage" relief efforts.

No government official has yet resigned nor been arrested over the fire. The 15 people arrested on suspicion of manslaughter are bosses or staff of construction firms, while another six detained are fire equipment contractors.

Some residents have also criticised the decision to proceed with a Legislative Council election, at a time when the city is in mourning. Only pro-Beijing "patriots" are allowed to contest in the poll which will be held on Sunday.

The issue however, is continuing to dominate discussion at all levels.

Some Legislative Council members made a request for an emergency debate to discuss the fire and post disaster relief work, but this was refused, with the government saying it would keep its focus on the issue of the fire itself.

In a statement to reporters Lee said, "Yes, it is a tragedy; it is a big fire. Yes, we need a reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plugged... to ensure that such things will not happen again."

Translation

香港有人因火災請願而被捕引發公眾討論 (2/2)

（繼續）

過去一周，當局逮捕了15名涉嫌過失殺人的人仕，並下令拆除所有正在翻修的建築物上的防護網。先前，調查人員發現，包裹在被燒毀建築群周圍的防護網不符合阻燃標準。

此外，一名女子因試圖利用虛假籌款活動從災難中牟利而被捕。

上週災難發生後，中國駐香港國家安全辦公室迅速採取行動，警告將對任何試圖煽動「黑暴」的人採取行動 - 北京曾用「黑暴」一詞來形容2019年的抗議活動。

本週，中國國家安全辦公室發表措辭更為強硬的聲明，誓言要懲罰「敵對外國勢力……無論他們身在何處」。 

香港行政長官李家超表示，他將「確保任何試圖「破壞」救援工作的人受到法律制裁」。

據報道，前區議員Kenneth Cheung是國安警察逮捕的人員之一。他表示，當局對他在火災後於臉書轉發的內容有意見。

這位50歲的議員說:「大埔火災是一場關乎香港每個人的悲劇。許多人，無論政治立場如何，都希望罪犯受到懲罰」。他目前已獲保釋，但護照已被扣押。

Cheung說: 「並非所有事情都與政治有關」。

香港浸會大學政治學教授Kenneth Chan指責香港當局正效法北京應對這場災難的策略，即註重社會控制和政權安全。

他指出，當局在周末用政府支持的團體取代了社區主導的救援行動。

他聲稱：“官員們不願接受這些基層自發性行動，因為他們想要掌控一切。”

香港社交媒體上，對此逮捕行動的評論鋪天蓋地而來。大多數評論對逮捕行動和政府的回應表示不滿。

一則評論寫道:「要求真相竟然被視為煽動？」

在本週稍早的記者會上，當被問及為何在火災後他仍值得留任時，李家超迴避了這個問題，而是承諾將嚴懲「任何膽敢破壞」救援工作的人。

目前尚無政府官員因這場火災辭職或被捕。 15名因涉嫌過失殺人被捕的人員均為建築公司的老闆或員工，另有6名被拘留者是消防設備承包商。

一些居民也批評了在全城哀悼之際仍舉行立法會選舉的決定。只有親北京的「愛國者」才有資格參加週日舉行的選舉。

然而，這事情仍在各層面持續成為話題。

一些立法會議員要求舉行緊急辯論，討論火災及災後救援工作，但遭到拒絕。政府表示，將繼續把重點放在火災本身。

李家超在對記者發表的聲明中說：“是的，這是一場悲劇；這是一場大火。是的，我們需要改革。是的，我們已經發現各個階段都存在失誤。正因如此，我們必須認真採取行動，確保堵住所有漏洞……確保此類事件不再發生。”

So, a big fire that ravages a densely populated housing estate in Hong Kong has killed at least 159 people. When a university student launches a petition demanding answers from Hong Kong authorities after the fires, he is arrested. As public anger grows, the pro-Beijing authorities warns, repeatedly, against attempts to "exploit" the fire to "endanger national security". Apparently, Hong Kong authorities are dealing with this disaster using Beijing's playbook, which focuses on social control and regime security, as has been pointed out by a politics professor at a Hong Kong’s university.