Hong Kong National Party ban

On September 24, 2018, Hong Kong's security minister announced that the Hong Kong National Party would be banned, making it the first political party in the city to be declared unlawful under the Societies Ordinance. Officials said the party's advocacy of the city's independence from the rest of China posed a threat to national security and public safety. Critics countered the decision was meant to crack down on free speech and other liberties enjoyed in Hong Kong.