The incident of the arrest of bookstore clerks by the Hong Kong national security department continues to ferment, with the phrase “I am a bookstore clerk” sparking heated discussion among the public and thus becoming a sensitive term guarded by the Chinese Communist Party. Recently, a Chinese citizen purchased a T-shirt with the same phrase and was immediately visited by the police for inspection and the confiscation of the clothing. The individual expressed frustration, asking, “If I order 100 pieces, will they send tanks to my door?”
On July 15, the Hong Kong national security department arrested five employees from two bookstores, “Causeway Bay Bookstore” and “Paddyfield Bookstore,” for the books being deemed to have “inciting intent” that allegedly violated the National Security Law.
In the scene, a female clerk was handcuffed, but she walked out of the bookstore calmly, looking straight ahead with the six white words “I am a bookstore clerk” printed on her black shirt, shining brightly in the dim light.
While Hong Kong authorities shut down bookstores and detained clerks, the phrase “I am a bookstore clerk,” marking an ordinary occupation, has become a sensitive term for rapid intervention by the Chinese Communist police.
Recently, a Chinese citizen posted on the social media platform “Threads” that they ordered a T-shirt with the phrase “I am a bookstore clerk” on Taobao. After receiving the product, three policemen immediately appeared at their door, questioning aggressively, “Why did you order this and what do you plan to do with it?” and warning, “If you do not cooperate with the investigation, more public security officers will visit your home.” Ultimately, the T-shirt was confiscated by the police.
The individual also revealed that the police demanded to review their purchase history on the shopping platform. Feeling helpless, they remarked, “In this day and age, even wearing a T-shirt at home prompts police inquiries; I cannot imagine what would happen if I ordered 100 pieces, would they send tanks to arrest me?”
The post quickly garnered significant attention, with over 120,000 views in less than a day, and many people joined the discussion.
One internet user joked, “Ordering 100 pieces? Sitting at home on the couch, you will have 220 laser red dots targeting you.”
Some referenced former Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong’s experience as a librarian at Peking University before leading a revolution, sarcastically suggesting, “Today you dare write ‘I am a bookstore clerk,’ tomorrow you might dare to write ‘I am a librarian,’ the day after that, I dare not imagine what you might do.”
Others commented, “Thinking about the Blank Paper Movement, one day even white T-shirts could be banned,” and suggested, “You could print a T-shirt that says ‘I am a Tiananmen security guard’ to explore further.”
Meanwhile, the author of the book “Only the Red Flowers Bloom,” Feng Zheyun, deemed by the Hong Kong government to have “inciting intent,” stated in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that they are still unclear about the specific reasons that triggered the police’s search and investigation actions.