SECRET
Special Branch,
Hong Kong Police.
19th October, 1967
Action against the Communist Press
Throughout confrontation the communist press has
played a major role in the communist attempts to subvert the
Hong Kong Government.
In this direction it has consistently
published articles of a seditious nature which are obviously
calculated to incite readers to defy Government and the rule of
law.
During the early stages of confrontation the terminology
used in the articles was most vituperative and insulting and
went well beyond the bounds of accepted journalistic licence.
This led to criminal proceedings being instituted, in August,
against officials of three of the nine communist journals, as a
result of which the newspapers concerned were at first suspended
and then suppressed for six months by Court Order.
2.
This action, possibly combined with other factors,
appeared to have a restraining effect on the other six communist
newspapers (three of which are to all intents and purposes C.P.G.
owned). There was a marked change in the tone of the articles
published which, although still seditious and inflammatory, were
far milder than had previously been the case and the use of
vituperative terminology was virtually dropped.
This easing-off
by the communist press coincided with a drop of violent activities
by communists on the ground.
SECRET
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