HONG KONG (AP) — A popular Hong Kong protest song became unavailable Wednesday on several major music streaming sites and social media platforms after the government sought a court order banning it.
“Glory to Hong Kong” has become popular in the 2019 pro-democracy protests and has become an unofficial protest anthem. The song was thought to be banned in the city because its lyrics contained parts of the slogan.
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Hong Kong, once a bastion of free speech and speech, has come under closer scrutiny by Beijing after the 2019 riots. Since then, his political formula has undergone a major overhaul so that only Beijing-unwavering “patriots” can hold office. More than 250 other people have been arrested under a sweeping national security law passed in 2020 that critics say aims to stifle dissent.
The song climbed to Apple iTunes’ most sensible chart last week after the Hong Kong government sought a court order to ban “illegal acts” similar to the song and all its derivatives, adding the lyrics and melody.
But the song will no longer be available on music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music on Wednesday. The original edition of the song will also not be available on the Reels feature on Facebook and Instagram.
Spotify said in an email that the song was released through its distributor and not the platform. Facebook, Instagram and Apple Music had no immediate comment.
The song’s creator, DGX Music, said in a post on its Facebook page that it “addresses some technical issues similar to streaming platforms” and apologized for the “temporary” issue.
Versions of the song, adding that of the original creators, were still available on video streaming site YouTube.
The Hong Kong government sought a court order to ban the song after it was misinterpreted as the city’s anthem on several overseas sporting occasions over the past year, instead of the national anthem of China’s “March of Volunteers. “
Court hearings in the case have been postponed until July 21.
At a regular news conference on Tuesday, Hong Kong leader John Lee said the song was “not compatible with the national interest” and that the city “proactively and preemptively protects” national security.
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For more information on AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage, https://apnews. com/hub/asia-pacific
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