In May 2024, the song, Glory to Hong Kong, which became the unofficial anthem for Hong Kong protestors, was banned. Composed at the height of protests calling for democratic reform and against police brutality – from mid-2019 up to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 – the song was written by ThomasDGX, a composer working under a pseudonym to protect their identity. A collective effort, with input from many Hong Kongers who contributed to its lyrics and melody, the song was taken up and sung by crowds of protestors, broadcast across social media and news services in Hong Kong and abroad.
The song’s lyrics are a call on Hongkongers to fight for freedom and stand up for their rights. It includes the slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, words deemed by the authorities to be a call for rebellion.
The first attempt to ban the song was made in June 2023 when authorities launched proceedings at the Hong Kong Court of First Instance to prevent its “broadcasting, performing, printing, publishing, selling, offering for sale, distributing, disseminating, displaying or reproducing in any way.” It also called for the take down of YouTube videos of 32 versions of the protest song in several languages as well as instrumental versions. However, the Court ruled against the authorities saying that the ban would contradict criminal justice procedures and that international internet service providers could not be compelled to remove the song.
Yet in May 2024 the Hong Kong High Court over-ruled the lower court’s decision. The presiding Judge stated that the song’s composer “intended it to be a ‘weapon’ and so it had become”. The song has been used, he said, as “an impetus to propel the violent protests plaguing Hong Kong since 2019 … arousing emotions among certain fractions of the society”. He added that it was necessary to persuade internet companies to remove “the problematic videos in connection with the song” from their platforms.
Complying with the order, Google blocked access to the 32 YouTube videos, making them inaccessible within Hong Kong. However, they remain accessible outside the country. The song is often mistakenly played at international events when organisers search for a “Hong Kong anthem” to use during award ceremonies. Google refused to comply with the authorities’ demands to address this, saying that search results are generated algorithmically and cannot be adjusted manually. Similarly, videos and recordings remain available on Spotify and other music streaming platforms for international audiences.
Today, “Glory to Hong Kong”, banned and inaccessible in Hong Kong, remains a powerful symbol of resistance and the struggle for democracy, providing hope and inspiration.
‘Black Blorchestra’ – masked musicians playing “Glory to Hong Kong” during protests in 2019 (Still from a YouTube video via Wikimedia)
Listen to Protestors in Hong Kong singing ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ in shopping centres in 2019
