A song called “Glory to Hong Kong,” connected to the protest movement of 2019 was played at the beginning of the South Korean cup final match on Sunday.
After a protest song from Hong Kong was substituted for the Chinese national anthem throughout a rugby sevens match in South Korea, the Hong Kong administration harshly criticized the competition.
In 2019, the Chinese national anthem, March of the Volunteers, should have been played instead of a song connected with “violent rallies” and the pro-independence movement, according to Hong Kong.
The authorities were vague about the song played before Sunday’s cup final between Hong Kong and South Korea in Incheon. Still, a video from the game posted online shows it was Glory to Hong Kong, a song that gained traction during the 2019 protest movement.
The administration has published a statement requesting an inquiry.
We strongly disagree with this Series being held in Hong Kong and have already communicated our disapproval to Asia Rugby, the tournament’s organizer, in a letter sent last night.
When Cardinal Joseph Zen enters a Hong Kong court on Monday for his trial, he does it with a cane.
Cardinal Zen is on trial in Hong Kong for using church money to protect protesters.
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A group of local activists 2019 wrote and released the song online as a message against the passage of an extradition law during the protest movement. Although the song is not technically illegal, it is not recommended to be played publicly after June 2020, when new national security legislation will take effect in Hong Kong.
While the Hong Kong Rugby Union won the match 19–12, they have not yet celebrated the victory on their social media profiles. Streaming recordings of the event were not made accessible throughout Asia Rugby’s different platforms.
The Hong Kong government said that Rugby Asia had apologized for the issue and clarified that the mix-up “was caused by human error of a junior worker” at the local organizer.
According to Monday’s Guardian report from the Hong Kong Rugby Union, “the organizers first played inappropriate music for Hong Kong.” They were made aware of the situation, and an apology was issued after the game. An adjustment was made, and the March of the Volunteers was “properly performed” subsequently, according to the report.
The union acknowledged it was a matter of “human error” and that it had voiced “great unhappiness” to local organizers. As the statement continued, Asia Rugby apologized profusely and promised that the error would never be repeated.
The Guardian has reached out to Asia Rugby for their thoughts.
The Hong Kong government said that the squad had submitted the proper recording of the Chinese anthem and that it would be attending the following game, which would be held in Dubai at the end of November.
In June 2020, Hong Kong implemented the National Anthem Ordinance, often known as the anthem legislation. Fans in Hong Kong began booing during the national anthem during international games, prompting the government to pass legislation banning such behavior.
Although it is illegal to boo the Chinese national anthem during a football game, local media reported that this was still happening during a September 2022 match between Hong Kong and Myanmar. Local police filmed the masses during the anthem during that game, but no one was arrested.
A guy was convicted under the anthem legislation earlier this month and given a three-month prison term. Inside a shopping center where people were watching a Livestream of the 2022 Olympics as the national anthem was being performed, he was seen waving a flag from the colonial period.
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