Bookseller Lam Wing-kee says he suspects he was stalked six times since returning to Hong Kong in mid-June. He also said that the stalking has worsened in recent days and those harassing him acted like triads, following him “without restraint.”
Speaking with Ming Pao on Wednesday, he said that he requested the police escort him whilst switching hiding places. The officers denied the request even though he said he told them about his suspected harassers.
Lam also said that, at the end of the June, there were four men following him home near his hiding place in Lai King. He told the newspaper that “they followed me really closely, like they were going to grab me.”
Not at risk
However, acting police commissioner Tony Wong Chi-hung said on Wednesday morning at a press conference that, after investigation, they found that a vehicle following Lam was rented by a media organisation. He also said that a witness told them that there was nothing happening out of the ordinary.
The police also released a statement on Tuesday night saying that “there is no evidence to suggest that Mr Lam’s personal safety is at risk at this stage.”
Meanwhile, mainland authorities said that there “was no problems such as stalking or controlling.” A video of Lam Wing-kee “admitting” his crime to the mainland police was shown at a meeting between Hong Kong and Beijing officials on Tuesday.
Considering a move to Taiwan
Although Lam said had previously said that he had no plans to leave Hong Kong, he told Ming Pao that it was now difficult to live in the city as people recognised him and he can no longer work. He said that he is now considering a move to Taiwan.
Lam – founder of Causeway Bay Books – says he was kidnapped in Shenzhen and detained in Ningbo for eight months. He stands accused by mainland authorities of illegally sending “banned” books into China. He says the condition for his return to Hong Kong was to hand over sensitive customer information from his shop in Causeway Bay. Lam is now staying in a “safe place” in Hong Kong with the assistance of lawmakers.
