Hong Kong requires investigation after protest tune changed Chinese language nationwide anthem at rugby sevens recreation | Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s authorities has strongly criticised a rugby sevens event after a tune from the town’s protest motion was performed rather than the Chinese language nationwide anthem throughout a match in South Korea.

Hong Kong stated it “strongly deplores and opposes” the taking part in of a tune related to “violent protests” and the pro-independence motion in 2019, when the Chinese language nationwide anthem, March of the Volunteers, ought to have been performed.

Authorities didn’t identify the tune however on-line footage from Sunday’s match means that Glory to Hong Kong, a tune that rose to recognition through the 2019 protest motion, was performed earlier than the cup closing match between Hong Kong and South Korea in Incheon.

A statement from the government known as for an investigation into the incident.

“[W]e have already written to the Hong Kong Rugby Union final night demanding them to cope with this matter severely, launch a full and in-depth investigation and submit an in depth report, and convey our robust objection to Asia Rugby, who’s the organiser of the Sequence.”

The tune was written and printed on-line by a gaggle of native activists during the 2019 protest movement as a press release opposing the enactment of an extradition invoice. Whereas the tune will not be outlawed on paper, it’s deemed dangerous to play it in public after the introduction of national security law in Hong Kong in June 2020.

Regardless of profitable the match 19 to 12, the Hong Kong Rugby Union has not celebrated the victory on its social media accounts so far, and livestream movies of the sport weren’t out there throughout Asia Rugby’s varied platforms.

Hong Kong authorities stated Rugby Asia had apologised for the incident and defined that the error “was attributable to human error of a junior workers” on the native organiser.

The Hong Kong Rugby Union advised the Guardian on Monday: “The organisers initially performed incorrect music for Hong Kong. This was delivered to their consideration and an apology was introduced after the sport.” A correction was made and the March of the Volunteers was “correctly performed” afterward, it stated.

The union stated it expressed “excessive dissatisfaction” to native organisers, and accepted it was a case of “human error”. It added that Asia Rugby had expressed its honest apologies and vowed the error wouldn’t be repeated.

The Guardian has contacted Asia Rugby for remark.

The federal government stated that the proper recording of the Chinese language anthem was submitted by the Hong Kong staff and that it could take part within the subsequent recreation, in Dubai in late November.

Hong Kong has a Nationwide Anthem Ordinance, extra generally often known as the anthem regulation, which got here into impact in June 2020. The regulation was enacted after sports fans started booing the national anthem at worldwide video games performed in Hong Kong.

The regulation criminalises insults to the Chinese language anthem, however native media experiences advised the booing continued at a soccer match between Hong Kong and Myanmar in September 2022. Native police had been seen filming the crowds throughout that match when the anthem was being performed, however no arrests have been made to date.

Earlier this month, a person was sentenced to 3 months in jail within the first conviction underneath the anthem regulation. He had waved a colonial-era flag inside a shopping center, the place crowds watched a reside broadcast of the 2022 Olympics, throughout which the anthem was performed.

Ronny Tong Ka-wah, senior counsel and a authorities adviser on Hong Kong’s Government Council, stated there may very well be authorized penalties arising from the misplayed anthem if it was a deliberate act. “If that’s the case, there may be the intention to subvert the Hong Kong authorities and glorify violent acts,” Tong stated.

Tong famous that the town’s nationwide safety laws nonetheless utilized to somebody outdoors Hong Kong however that the information of the case ought to determine whether or not the regulation is invoked.

Tong stated he was not nervous the incident might harm Hong Kong’s worldwide popularity.