Hong Kong police raided two independent bookstores in July 2026, arresting five people on suspicion of displaying and selling items with seditious intent under the city’s national security law [1, 2, 3]. The raids targeted Greenfield Book Store and Have A Nice Stay bookstore.
Greenfield Book Store, established in 1976, announced on July 29 it will close when its current rental contract ends after 50 years of operation. The store posted on social media, "Grateful to everyone for being with us through thick and thin for the past 50 years, thank you, take care" [1].
Also on July 29, Have A Nice Stay, which is run by former journalists and was also raided, posted a sign outside stating, "As of today, Have a Nice Stay will cease operation temporarily." The bookstore notified customers with online orders to expect further arrangements. Prior to the raids, Have A Nice Stay had already planned to close in August, citing the social environment, financial difficulties, and "the elusive red line" as reasons for its decision [1, 2, 3].
The crackdown on these bookstores relates to alleged seditious materials under Hong Kong's national security law passed in 2024, as well as additional legislation imposed by Beijing after the 2019 democracy protests [1, 2, 3]. Hong Kong security chief Chris Tang said after the raids, "Booksellers must ensure the items they sell do not endanger national security" [1].
The five arrests in July highlight authorities' enforcement of the law targeting materials deemed threatening to national security in Hong Kong [1, 2, 3]. Greenfield Book Store will close after its rental contract expires. Have A Nice Stay has temporarily ceased operations and is expected to announce further developments regarding its future soon.
