Hong Kong protest song replaces China anthem at rugby event
November 14, 2022
Organizers of a rugby tournament in South Korea inadvertently sparked an international incident on Sunday by playing a song that wasa popular symbol of the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
China's anthem "March of the Volunteers" supposed to play before Hong Kong took on South Korea in the final of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in Incheon.
Instead, the song "Glory to Hong Kong" was played. The struggle to bring democracy to Hong Kong and free it from Beijing's rule is referenced in the song's lyrics.
The organizers apologized for the "human error" after Hong Kong officials reacted strongly to the incident.
The tournament organizers played the Chinese national anthem after the game.
Despite acknowledging that it was a case of human error, the Hong Kong Rugby Union insisted that the mistake was still unacceptable.
How did Hong Kong makers react?
The Hong Kong government "strongly deplores and opposes the playing of a song closely associated with violent protests and the 'independence' movement' in place of China's national anthem", it said in a statement.
Pro-Beijing legislators sought an inquiry to determine whether it was the act was intentional.
The players could be seen remaining calm and not reacting to the wrong song in a video of the incident.
Politicians pounced on this display and attacked the players.
"They just let the country be humiliated," Junius Ho, a pro-Beijing Hong Kong politician wrote on Facebook. "They have completely failed and lost our trust. Now the only solution is to dissolve the Hong Kong rugby team."
What is the 'Glory to Hong Kong' song?
An unidentified orchestra secretly recorded "Glory to Hong Kong" during the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong.
The stirring song has a melody reminiscent to China's national anthem, but the lyrics are about the struggle to free Hong Kong from Chinese control.
Under Hong Kong's national security law, playing the song is now all but illegal.
In September, a man who paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II by playing the song to a crowd on a harmonica was arrested for sedition.
ss/rt (AFP, AP)