<p>Hong Kong's pro-democracy media outlet Stand News said on Wednesday it will cease operations after police raided the news site's office and arrested seven current and former staff members.</p>.<p>Stand News said in a statement posted on Facebook that acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam had resigned and all employees have been terminated.</p>.<p>"Because of the current situation, Stand News will stop operating immediately, and stop updating its website and all social media," the outlet said in a statement, adding its website and social media accounts will be taken down soon.</p>.<p>Stand News thanked its readers, saying it was established as a non-profit in December 2014 to "take a stand in Hong Kong".</p>.<p>"Stand News was editorially independent, and was dedicated to protecting Hong Kong's core values such as democracy, human rights, freedom, rule of law and justice," the outlet said.</p>.<p>An AFP reporter saw Stand News' Lam being led handcuffed into the office and national security police carrying boxes from the news site's office earlier on Wednesday.</p>.<p>More than 200 officers were deployed to search the Stand News newsroom with court authorisation to seize journalistic materials, police said.</p>.<p>Suppression of Hong Kong's local press has increased in the wake of 2019's huge and often violent democracy protests and Beijing's subsequent imposition of a sweeping national security law.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
<p>Hong Kong's pro-democracy media outlet Stand News said on Wednesday it will cease operations after police raided the news site's office and arrested seven current and former staff members.</p>.<p>Stand News said in a statement posted on Facebook that acting editor-in-chief Patrick Lam had resigned and all employees have been terminated.</p>.<p>"Because of the current situation, Stand News will stop operating immediately, and stop updating its website and all social media," the outlet said in a statement, adding its website and social media accounts will be taken down soon.</p>.<p>Stand News thanked its readers, saying it was established as a non-profit in December 2014 to "take a stand in Hong Kong".</p>.<p>"Stand News was editorially independent, and was dedicated to protecting Hong Kong's core values such as democracy, human rights, freedom, rule of law and justice," the outlet said.</p>.<p>An AFP reporter saw Stand News' Lam being led handcuffed into the office and national security police carrying boxes from the news site's office earlier on Wednesday.</p>.<p>More than 200 officers were deployed to search the Stand News newsroom with court authorisation to seize journalistic materials, police said.</p>.<p>Suppression of Hong Kong's local press has increased in the wake of 2019's huge and often violent democracy protests and Beijing's subsequent imposition of a sweeping national security law.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>