The central and local authorities as well as political and legal heavy­weights in Hong Kong on Wednes­day voiced resolute support for the police decision to arrest 53 people on suspicion of violating the Nation­al Security Law for Hong Kong. 

In statements issued after the police operation on Wednesday morning, they said the strict enforcement of the National Securi­ty Law had upheld the authority of the law and safeguarded social peace and order. 

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The HKSAR government said in a statement that it adopts zero toler­ance for subversive acts

The 53 suspects allegedly commit­ted acts of subversion by organizing or participating in a so­-called “pri­mary election” in July to winnow down the list of opposition­-camp candidates for the Legislative Coun­cil election. The LegCo poll was later postponed due to the pandemic. 

The “primary election” was pro­moted as part of the opposition bloc’s plan to secure 35 seats or more in the legislature, setting the stage for the camp to vote down all consequential government initiatives, including the annual Budget, to par­alyze the special administrative region government. 

A spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Gov­ernment in the Hong Kong SAR expressed firm support for the law enforcement action and the SAR government’s determination to safeguard national security. 

The spokesperson said there would be no longterm prosperity and stability for Hong Kong if national security is compromised. 

The implementation of the National Security Law was a turning point for Hong Kong to restore order, the spokesperson said. 

Strict enforcement of the law is necessary to guarantee the long­ term stability of society and the sound and sustained implementation of “one country, two systems”, the spokesperson added. 

READ MORE: Liaison Office backs police action in Hong Kong

According to the organizer, about 610,000 people voted in the unoffi­cial ballot. 

The spokesperson supported the police’s decision to only target sus­pects who organized or carried out the plan, not residents who were misled into voting. 

There would be no longterm prosperity and stability for Hong Kong if national security is compromised, a spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Gov­ernment in the Hong Kong SAR said

The office also called on the public to safeguard national security as well as Hong Kong’s common inter­est in solidarity, and recognize the dishonorable intent of people such as the key initiator of the ballot Ben­ny Tai Yiu-­ting, whose words and deeds were endangering the com­ munity. 

Tai was one of the six arrestees accused of organizing and plotting the program, named the “35+ ”. He was the principal instigator behind the illegal “Occupy Central” movement in 2014. 

A spokesperson for the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR said anyone who violates the National Security Law shall be liable for legal conse­quences and the office supported the police in discharging its duty to fight against national security endangering acts in accordance with the law. 

The SAR government, in another statement, said it adopts zero toler­ance for subversive acts. 

It stressed that endangering national security is a serious crime that the SAR government will fight with every effort, so as to deter any­ one from committing the same crime. 

READ MORE: HK needs fundamental changes to tackle deep-seated problems

Political leaders also voiced sup­port for the police action and assured the public that their lives will not be affected. 

Tam Yiu­-chung, Hong Kong dele­gate to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, stressed that police action would not affect the lives of ordinary peo­ ple in Hong Kong. Instead, he said the law enforcement action sent a clear message to society that no violations of the law would be tolerat­ed, and that social development requires stability. 

According to Tam, the police made the decision based on conclu­sive evidence. He said the attempt to paralyze the government is highly likely to violate Article 22 of the National Security Law. 

Barrister Lawrence Ma Yan­-kwok backed the operation, noting that while the Hong Kong legislature has vote power over any bills, that pow­er cannot be abused. He said it could be a criminal offense for a legislator to maliciously exercise his or her veto power to purposely disrupt the functioning of the government. 

Despite the postponement of the 2020 LegCo election which derailed the opposition camp’s plans, Article 22 of the National Security Law states that if the acts proved to have been taken “with a view” to subver­sion, these acts may violate the National Security Law and there would be no need to establish that the government was actually inter­fered with or disrupted, Ma said. 

gangwen@chinadaily.com.cn