Hong Kong court bans protest anthem, says it can be used as weapon

HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal on Wednesday granted an application by the government to ban a protest anthem called “Glory to Hong Kong”, overturning a lower court judgment that had rejected such a ban because of its possible “chilling effects” on free speech.

The ruling comes amid what critics say is an erosion in Hong Kong’s rule of law and individual rights amid a security crackdown by Beijing that has seen scores of opposition democrats jailed and shut down liberal media outlets.

The case has implications for internet freedoms and the operations of firms including internet platform operators (IPOs) and technology firms such as Google GOOGL.O.

Court of Appeal judges Jeremy Poon, Carlye Chu and Anthea Pang wrote that the composer of the protest song had intended it to be used as a weapon.

“In the hands of those with the intention to incite secession and sedition, the song can be deployed to arouse anti-establishment sentiments,” the judges wrote.