A series of children’s books published in Hong Kong that depict the conflicts between “good” sheep and “evil” wolves are aimed at inciting separatism and hatred towards mainland China, prosecutors have argued in opening a sedition trial against five speech therapists behind the publications.

Nearly one year after the five suspects were denied bail, the trial began in the city’s District Court on Tuesday before a judge hand-picked by the city leader to oversee national security cases.

The defendants stand accused of publishing and distributing three picture books with a view to undermining the country’s safety by portraying Beijing as a “cold-blooded, totalitarian and ruthless” regime.