HONG KONG – CHINA Hong Kong, the government goes to court to ban the protest anthem

Authorities are asking judges for an order to “permanently” censor the iconic 2019 protest song. “Glory to Hong Kong” has surpassed the Chinese anthem in popularity and has been played (by mistake) at sporting events. Adaptations and covers would also be prohibited.

Hong Kong () – The Hong Kong government has appealed to the courts to ask the courts to issue a “permanent” banning order that prevents anyone from transmitting, playing, publishing or mentioning in any way the anthem that, since 2019 , has become a symbol of protests in favor of rights and freedom. And against Beijing’s dominance, which, especially in recent years with the introduction of the infamous National Security Law and the crackdown on and arrest of pro-democracy activists, has become stifling.

The Supreme Court is today considering the “unprecedented” application by the Justice Secretary for a “permanent injunction” against “Glory to Hong Kong”. The brief, filed yesterday, asks the courts to penalize those who harbor criminal intent for using in any way what is perceived as an anti-government song, as it is exploited by those who want to separate Hong Kong from its motherland, China. Mention is also made of the insult to the official Chinese anthem, which since 1997 is also from Hong Kong, entitled “March of the Volunteers”.

At the moment, the date on which the courts must rule has not yet been set, but the case has already caused quite a stir. The lawsuit also seeks to attack any “adaptation” of the song, both in lyrics and music. Those who encourage third parties to carry out any of the condemned acts will also be guilty. The filed document also contains YouTube videos showing at least 32 different versions of the protest song, including instrumental versions and others sung in Mandarin, English, German, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. Finally, reference is made to “incidents” in which, during sports competitions, the song was played instead of the official anthem, among other things because “Glory to Hong Kong” appears first in Internet search engines compared to to the “March of the Volunteers”.

The letter is an invitation to the inhabitants to fight for freedom and their liberation, in a kind of “modern revolution”. In particular, this last stanza is perceived with a secessionist meaning and an exhortation to rebel against Beijing and its rule.

The song has spawned several side versions, including one with altered lyrics attacking the “rebels” who organized the 2019 protests. A street performer was recently banned while singing the anthem for alleged distancing violations during a phase of impositions and prohibitions to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the young man was acquitted at trial for lack of evidence.