National security police on Tuesday warned that the mobile app “Reversed Front: Bonfire” has been deemed to be seditious and those who have downloaded it or provided funds to its developer may be in breach of the National Security Law.

In a statement, the force’s National Security Department said the app
“was released under the guise of a game with the aim of promoting secessionist agendas such as ‘Taiwan independence’ and ‘Hong Kong independence’.”

It added that the app advocates armed revolution and the overthrow of the fundamental system of the People’s Republic of China, and it’s designed to provoke hatred towards the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR government.

Individuals or groups who knowingly publish the app or related content, including sharing or recommending it to others via the internet, police warned, may be committing the offences of "incitement to secession" and “incitement to subversion” under the Hong Kong National Security Law, as well as "offences in connection with seditious intention" under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

“Those who have downloaded the application may be regarded as in possession of a publication that has a seditious intention,” the statement said.

“A person who provides pecuniary or other financial assistance or property to the application developer, including making payment through in-app purchases, with an intent to provide funding to the relevant developer for the commission of secession or subversion, also commits an offence,” police added.

Using powers under the National Security Law, with the approval of the Secretary for Security, the National Security Department said it had disabled the app’s ability to send out electronic messages.

Police also said people who have downloaded the application should uninstall it immediately.