Hong Kong national security police have brought in the father of a wanted activist to assist with an investigation, prompting him to sever ties with his fugitive son.
A source familiar with the matter told the Post that the father of Tony Lam was taken to Tai Po police station on Thursday morning. The source added that the 67-year-old, who was wearing a grey shirt and black trousers, would be there until around noon.
After emerging from the station, the elder Lam told local media that he would sever ties with his son.
“I hereby announce that I am severing the fatherly relationship with [Tony Lam],” he said, adding that police had served him food.
The elder Lam said he “would not need to return” to the police station, and that his wife would not be summoned to assist with the investigation.
Tony Lam is among 19 overseas activists wanted by national security police for their alleged involvement with “Hong Kong Parliament”, a group founded in 2022 by self-exiled pro-democracy advocates.
Sources alleged that Tony Lam was active during the 2019 protests, in which he styled himself as part of a “frontline smoke extinguishing team” that aimed to neutralise police tear gas canisters. He is understood to have met another activist, Lan Fei, who was a minor at the time, during the protests.
The two later became a couple and left for Taiwan in 2024, where they were said to have joined the pro-independence group, the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union”.
It is understood Tony Lam later travelled to Canada and announced his candidacy in the “election” of “Hong Kong Parliament”. He allegedly vowed to destroy the Communist Party, overthrow the Hong Kong government and advocated for the city’s independence, activities that authorities say breached the Beijing-imposed national security law.
Sources said he then manipulated Lan, using her name to borrow large sums of money and instigating her to film the promotional video for the group. It is also understood that Tony Lam has a prior criminal record for common assault and theft from his youth.
The unemployed Lan, now 19 and no longer with Tony Lam, was charged on Tuesday with committing acts with “seditious intention” for allegedly helping “Hong Kong Parliament”. She was denied bail and is scheduled to appear in court again in October.
The questioning of family members of wanted activists has become a common police tactic in national security investigations.
National security police also brought in the sister of wanted activist Chin Po-fun last Tuesday to “assist with an investigation”, the Post earlier learned. It marked the second time that a relative of a fugitive was summoned after a new round of bounties was announced by authorities in July, including HK$200,000 (US$25,640) on Tony Lam and 14 others.
Notably, both Tony Lam and Chin were among 10 people accused by Hong Kong national security police of taking part in the “election” and swearing in as so-called parliament members.
Authorities have accused “Hong Kong Parliament” of violating the Beijing-imposed national security law by holding an unlawful “election” and aiming to subvert state power.
Police have placed bounties of up to HK$1 million on 19 fugitives, most of whom are now based in countries such as Canada, Britain and the United States.
Earlier this month, the government invoked powers under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance to impose further restrictions on 16 of the fugitives.
The measures prohibit anyone from providing funds to the specified individuals or engaging in business dealings with them. The government also cancelled the Hong Kong passports of 12 of the activists.
Police previously reminded the public that providing financial support to the fugitives without a licence from the security secretary is an offence punishable by up to seven years in prison.
Authorities also repeatedly called on the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
