Information
Hong Kong’s appeal court has officially banned the protest song “Glory to Hong Kong,” which gained prominence during the 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations. The song’s lyrics, including the slogan “Liberate Hong Kong; Revolution of our times,” upset authorities as it became an anthem for dissenters, even replacing China’s official anthem, “March of the Volunteers,” at an international event in an embarrassing error. The ban marks the first such prohibition since Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997, with authorities pushing tech platforms to remove it despite little success. The government views the song as a symbol of misinformation and propaganda, designed to provoke emotional unrest.
The decision overturned a previous High Court ruling against the ban due to concerns over its “chilling effect.” However, Judge Jeremy Poon, representing the Court of Appeal, argued that the injunction was essential to protect national security, asserting that criminal law alone was insufficient to curb the song’s intended impact. Poon believed the song served as a “weapon,” and government lawyer Benjamin Yu emphasized that it still had the power to stir public emotions. Since Beijing enacted a national security law in 2020 following the protests, dissent has been suppressed, with many activists and politicians either silenced, imprisoned, or in exile.
Source: AFP, AP
So what
This is just the next step in the not-so-slow creep of Chinese rule over Hong Kong. Of interest will be how international social companies react to the ban, having faced pressure in the past to remove the song from platforms such as YouTube. While it is unlikely that Google in particular will bow to Chinese pressure, it is possible that smaller companies hoping to operate in China will look to block the song. Sadly it is likely this is not the end and China will continue to restrict freedoms within Hong Kong, likely reducing international businesses based in the city.
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