Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of the Hong Kong Police's National Security Department, poses with evidence including three children's books that revolve around a village of sheep which has to deal with wolves from a different village, before a press conference in Hong Kong, on July 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

       HONG KONG (Kyodo) -- Hong Kong police have arrested five people over children's picture books that dealt with the 2019 pro-democracy protests and other events, alleging they were published with the intent to "incite young people's hatred" toward the Hong Kong government, according to local media.

       Two men and three women, aged 25 to 28, are accused of publishing "seditious" material after depicting Hong Kong people as sheep, and people from mainland China or authorities as wolves in three picture books that were published between June last year and this March.

       All five are members of the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists, according to the media reports.

       The arrests come as Chinese and Hong Kong authorities intensify efforts to stifle dissent in the former British territory following the sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.

       Under pressure from the authorities, Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily folded last month, with its executives and senior editors arrested for allegedly violating the national security law.

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