After a rugby game in which a protest song was played in place of China’s national anthem, Hong Kong officials have sought an investigation.
The municipality stated that it “strongly condemns” the performance of a song connected with “violent protests.”
Glory to Hong Kong is regarded as the unofficial anthem of the pro-democracy movement in 2019.
And under Beijing’s tight hold on the city, it has become increasingly contentious.
The lyrics include references to “tears on our land” and “democracy and liberty.”
Even though Hong Kong officials could not identify the song, videos of the scene from Sunday’s match have already been widely shared online.
The song can be played before a match between Hong Kong and South Korea at the annual regional championship Asia Rugby Sevens. The players appear to not react to the tune.
According to a government statement, the blunder was attributed to “human error by a junior staff member” and the Hong Kong team’s coach had submitted the proper music.
A government spokesperson stated on Sunday evening that a letter was sent to the Hong Kong Rugby Union demanding that they “take this matter seriously and conduct a thorough investigation.”
After Hong Kong won the championship, the Chinese national anthem, March of the Volunteers, was played at the award ceremony.
Monday, the Hong Kong Rugby Union voiced “great displeasure” about the situation. It also stated that the event’s organizers, Asia Rugby, have “expressed their sincere apologies and assured us that this will not occur again.”
In Hong Kong, it is now illegal to disrespect the Chinese national anthem. It was enacted in 2020 after the Chinese national anthem had been jeered during football games for years.
Glory to Hong Kong has not been banned in the city, but a man who played it along with several other songs on his harmonica outside the British consulate earlier this year was arrested for committing an “act with subversive intent.”
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and is supposed to be governed according to the “one country, two systems” principle, which protects freedoms in the city that do not exist on the Chinese mainland.
In recent years, however, China’s influence has grown, especially in the wake of massive pro-democracy protests.
In 2019, Beijing proposed an extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong citizens to be tried in China. The bill sparked some of the largest protests the city had ever witnessed.
In 2020, China implemented a controversial National Security Law that criminalized secession, subversion, terrorism, and collaboration with foreign forces.
Beijing insists that the law is essential for stability, but critics argue that its vague definition makes it easier to suppress protest and free speech. Since the law’s implementation, hundreds of protesters, activists, and former opposition lawmakers have been arrested.
