DHK202106

The Sheep Village Picture Book Case

The General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published a series of allegedly seditious children’s books which target readers aged between four to seven.  The three publications,  including “Guardians of the Sheep Village”, “12 Warriors of the Sheep Village” and “Sweepers of Sheep Village” were published and circulated between June 2020 and March 2021. The trio used simple and eye-catching cartoons to beautify illegal activities such as the acts of rioters in the anti-government protests, glorify the 12 fugitivesand rationalise health care strikes during the coronavirus pandemic. Some in support of the anti-government movement believed that the picture books only reflected facts and did not constitute incitement to violence or social hatred, while some criticised the appropriateness of rationalisation of violent incidents and illegal behaviours in children’s books.

Hong Kong national security police arrested five members (chairperson Lorie Lai Man-ling, vice-chairperson Melody Yeung Yat-yee, secretary Sidney Ng Hau-yi, treasurer Samuel Chan Yuen-sum and officer Marco Fong Tsz-ho) of the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists on 22 July 2021 for publishing a series of allegedly seditious children’s books, accusing the group of inciting anti-government hatred and instigating violence.  They have been accused of conspiracy to publish and circulate seditious publications between June 2020 and March this year in connection with a picture book series about sheep defending their village from invading wolves.

The General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists (the “Union”)

The speech therapists’ union, which was founded on 29 November 2019 at the height of that year’s anti-government protests, states its mission as being to defend justice, unite the industry and fight for Hongkongers’ rights.  The Union stated that the Union would use their professions to stand against any authorities attempting to interfere with the clutches of Hong Kong’s internal affairs and establish a “True Hong Kong”.

Members of the Union voted and elected chairperson Lorie Lai Man-ling, vice-chairperson Melody Yeung Yat-yee, secretary Sidney Ng Hau-yi, treasurer Samuel Chan Yuen-sum and officer Marco Fong Tsz-ho.

According to media reports, the Union has about 200 members, accounting for one-sixth of the total number of professionals in the industry. As in May 2019, there were 216 voluntarily registered speech therapists in Hong Kong.  While the government estimation in 2014 revealed that there were less than 700 speech therapists in Hong Kong.  Thus, the representativeness of the Union in the industry is doubtful.

The chairman of the Union, Lorie Lai Man-ling, was very active during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement in 2019. In addition to the establishment of the Hong Kong Speech Therapist General Union, she also participated in the organization of the "HA Employees Alliance" and launched the Hong Kong health care strikes during the coronavirus pandemic in February 2019 to force the government to completely close the customs.¹⁰  Since the establishment of the Union, most of the statements and speeches have been related to protests and political commentary. It is questionable that the establishment of the Union is only to make political money, instead of promoting the development of speech therapists in Hong Kong, as a result the professional recognition and credibility of the Union are weakened.¹¹

“Sheep Village” Picture Book Series

“Guardians of the Sheep Village”

In June 2020, the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published the first book of the series, “Guardians of the Sheep Village”, which compared sheep to Hong Kong people and wolves to mainland Chinese people.

Once upon a time, there were two villages. One belonged to the kind-hearted sheep, while the other lived a gang of evil wolves. One day, the sheep was abandoned by the shepherd. The leader of the evil wolves then sent a wolf which disguised as a sheep to rule the sheep and promulgate the "Wolf-Sheep Rules", stipulating that the wolves could consume the sheep at their will, but the sheep rebelled.  Days after days, the lives of the sheep worsened with the influx of disguised wolf. The picture book listed the time sequence of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement and the number of pages of the corresponding events. Some criticised the publication for using children’s stories to rationalize the violent behaviour of the protestors during the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement into a righteous act of defending their homes in the absence of the shepherd.  At the end of the story, readers were asked if they were a sheep, would they be brave enough to guard their home.

“12 Warriors of Sheep Village”

In September 2020, the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists published the second book of the series, “12 Warriors of Sheep Village”, which continued the story of “Guardians of the Sheep Village” and was written mainly based on the case of 12 fugitives who attempted to abscond to Taiwan in August 2020.

In gist, the sheep became united and brave in order to fight against the wolves. The wolf leader, the big bad wolf, worried that he would no longer be able to rule and bully the sheep in the future, so he ordered the killing of the 12 bravest sheep among the herd of sheep.  The 12 sheep attempted to escape but were caught by the wolf and locked up in wolf village.   Since the names of the 12 sheep were the same as those of the 12 fugitives, some criticised the picture book was heroizing the 12 fugitives, describing them as warriors who had guarded Hong Kong bravely but was persecuted to leave Hong Kong.   At the end of the story, the readers were asked if they were a sheep, whether they would save the 12 warriors. This publication indirectly supported and approved abscondence, which in the end, destroyed the rule of law in Hong Kong. The publication was criticised for inciting hatred and bias towards mainland Chinese people.

“Sweepers of Sheep Village”

In March 2021, the Union published the third book – “Sweepers of Sheep Village”.  It continued to compare sheep to Hong Kong people and wolves to Mainland Chinese people.  The story was based on health care strikes took place during the pandemic.  The story refers to the sheep launching a general strike to stop the wolves from entering and littering their village through a loophole in the sheep village.  The story implied that the coronavirus was brought to Hong Kong by mainland Chinese people, justifying the health care strikes and demonising the mainland Chinese.

Family Reading Club

On 20 July 2019, the Union held a “Family Reading Club” in a bookstore, promoting “The Sheep Village” picture book series to families with children. The second family reading activity was scheduled on 25 July 2021, but was put on halt due to the arrest of committee members of the Union.  Some criticised that the club was indeed inciting hatred towards the administrative authority and rationalising violent acts and illegal acts through simple and eye-catching cartoons.  The Police slammed the union for taking advantages of their profession to poison children and parents with biased anti-government thoughts.

Violation of Hong Kong National Security Law

On 19 February 2021, National Security Department of Hong Kong Police received reports accusing the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists of publishing allegedly seditious children’s books -   “Guardians of the Sheep Village” and “12 Warriors of the Sheep Village”, which sending out wrong messages by beautifying illegal activities such as the acts of rioters in the anti-government protests and glorifying the 12 fugitives.

On 22 July 2021, Hong Kong national security police arrested five people on Thursday for publishing a series of allegedly seditious children’s books, accusing the group of inciting anti-government hatred and instigating violence. The five suspects (chairperson Lorie Lai Man-ling, vice-chairperson Melody Yeung Yat-yee, secretary Sidney Ng Hau-yi, treasurer Samuel Chan Yuen-sum and officer Marco Fong Tsz-ho), aged 25 to 28, have been accused of conspiracy to publish and circulate seditious publications between June 2020 and March this year in connection with a picture book series about sheep defending their village from invading wolves. More than 550 children’s books and a large quantity of promotional leaflets, along with computers and mobile phones were seized by the Police. The Police also froze HK$160,000 in bank accounts belonging to the group.

Chairperson Lorie Lai Man-ling, 26 and vice-chairperson Melody Yeung Yat-yee, 27, were charged with printing, publishing, distributing, displaying or reproducing seditious publications under the Crimes Ordinance. On 23 July 2021, they appeared in West Kowloon Magistrates' Court for mention.  They were denied bail after appearing before Chief Magistrate Victor So in West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court.  The pair appeared in court again on 30 August 2021. 

On 30 August 2021, Sidney Ng Hau-yi, 28, Samuel Chan Yuen-sum, 25, and Fong Tsz-ho, 26, were among those who appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Monday in front of Principal Magistrate Peter Law after they were informed by police that their bail had been revoked. Lai Man-ling and Yeung Yat-yee’s bail applications were also denied on the same date.

They allegedly conspired with Wong Hoi-ching, another member of the union, in printing, publishing, and distributing three children’s books, “Guardians of the Sheep Village”, “12 Warriors of the Sheep Village”, and “Sweepers of the Sheep Village” intended to “bring into hatred of contempt or to excite disaffection” against the Hong Kong government and “the administration of justice in Hong Kong.”  The group was also accused of publishing the books with the intention to “incite persons to violence, and/or to counsel disobedience to law or to any lawful order.”

The five will appear in court again on September 24 after giving up their right to bail review.

Comments in Town

Education Bureau

On 12 January 2020, Dr. Choi Yuk-lin, JP, the Under Secretary for Education commented in the “Subcommittee to Study the Development of Textbooks and Teaching Materials for Kindergartens, Primary and Secondary Schools” meeting that the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists disseminated political propaganda through children stories,“Guardians of the Sheep Village” and “12 Warriors of Sheep Village”, which were not suitable to be used as teaching materials. Education Bureau would take serious action if any teachers or speech therapists were found using the “Sheep Village” picture books in their dealings with children.  Teachers and parents were reminded to be aware of the credibility of the stories, education value and whether the books were “crying up wine and selling vinegar” by conveying political messages through children books.

Mr Ronny Tong Ka-wah, SC, JP, Members of the Executive Council

On 23 July 2021, soon after the five members of the Union were arrested, Mr Ronny Tong Ka-wah, SC, JP, who was previously a Legislative Council Member, Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association and a member of the Economic and Employment Council, and Deputy Judge of the High Court in 1992 and 2002, commented that inciting hatred affected public safety and bended the moral beliefs as those seditious storybooks poisoned children with biased thoughts that should not be accepted in any democratic societies.

Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union

On 23 July 2021, soon after the five members of the Union were arrested, the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union published a post on their Facebook page stating that this was the first case in Hong Kong where people were arrested for children’s fables.  It also criticised the arrest was indeed affecting the freedom of speech and creation.

“Chickeeduck” CEO Considered Acquiring the Copyrights of “Sheep Village”

On 23 July 2021, soon after the five members of the Union were arrested, Mr Herbert Chow Siu-lung, the CEO of a chain children’s clothing store “Chickeeduck” published a post on his facebook announcing that he would consider acquiring the copyrights of the storybooks and all products of the story series.  He would immediately kicked off the commercial negotiations with the Union. On 19 August 2021, Mr Chow commented publicly that since he was not able to reach the responsible person of the Union, the acquisition was put aside.