A T-shirt slogan reading “I am a bookstore employee” goes viral in Taiwan amid concern over arrests of independent booksellers in Hong Kong. Reports describe the slogan as appearing on the clothing of a woman arrested during police raids on two bookstores in Hong Kong, where five people were taken in connection with publications authorities describe as “seditious” under the national security law. The crime is described as carrying a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Taiwanese readers and online users adopt the slogan and share images of the T-shirts as a show of solidarity with Hong Kong’s independent book trade. In Taiwan, some retailers and publishers report that demand for books tied to the episode increases sharply, with sales described as “rocketing” following the viral spread of the slogan. The trend is presented as both a personal statement and a way to draw attention to the status of independent bookstores following the Hong Kong raids. Across the coverage, the central facts focus on the Hong Kong arrests and the subsequent ripple effect in Taiwan’s book market and online conversation.
