Hong Kong
CNN
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The Hong Kong govt on Monday demanded an investigation after a song associated with the city’s pro-democracy movement was once performed as an alternative of the Chinese nationwide anthem earlier than a rugby sevens fit between Hong Kong and South Korea.
Event organizers performed an instrumental model of “Glory to Hong Kong” because the groups coated up for the boys’s ultimate of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series in Incheon, South Korea on Sunday. The tune, an unofficial anthem of town’s 2019 pro-democracy protests, comprises lyrics {that a} Hong Kong courtroom has in the past dominated may incite secession – a countrywide safety offense.
Clips of the incident, through which the group is proven status to consideration at the box because the tune performs, circulated broadly on social media Monday, threatening to overshadow Hong Kong’s 19-12 victory.
In a observation, the Hong Kong govt stated it “strongly deplores and opposes” the taking part in of the tune, which it stated was once “closely associated with violent protests and the ‘independence’ movement in 2019.”
“We have already written to the Hong Kong Rugby Union last evening demanding them to deal with this matter seriously, launch a full and in-depth investigation and submit a detailed report, and convey our strong objection to Asia Rugby, who is the organizer of the Series,” a central authority spokesperson stated, in keeping with the observation.
In a observation Monday, Asia Rugby apologized for the incident, announcing it “happened due to a simple human error from a junior member of the local organising committee, playing a song downloaded from the internet instead of the correct anthem.”
The fit’s native organizer, Korea Rugby Union (KRU), instructed CNN the error came about when a employee searched on-line for a Hong Kong anthem and added the highest consequence to a folder categorised “Hong Kong.” The broadcasting room group of workers performed the tune report within the Hong Kong folder as an alternative of 1 categorised “China,” the group stated.
The organizer apologized during the stadium speaker and performed the Chinese nationwide anthem on the finish of the fit, in keeping with KRU.
“Korea Rugby Union will take all measures to prevent a repeat of such an occurrence in future matches,” the group stated, including that its “Hong Kong” folder has now been erased.
In a observation, the Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) stated it “expressed its extreme dissatisfaction” over the incident to the organizers. “Whilst we accept this was a case of human error it was nevertheless not acceptable,” the observation stated.
Last week, a girl who waved a British colonial-era flag to have fun Hong Kong claiming Olympic gold was the primary individual within the town to be jailed on a price of insulting the Chinese nationwide anthem.
Hong Kong, a former British colony passed over to Beijing’s rule in 1997, sends its personal consultant groups break free mainland China to quite a lot of carrying occasions, together with the Olympics.
