Hong Kong court voices concerns over lack of clarity in proposed ban on ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ protest song, despite ‘lawful acts’ exemption
- Court says parts of draft ban ambiguous and fail to meet required legal standards, asking justice chief Paul Lam to re-amend injunction order
- Ongoing appeal is second attempt by authorities to outlaw protest song, which has been mistaken overseas for China’s national anthem
The appeal is the second attempt by the Department of Justice, on behalf of Lam, to outlaw the song composed during the 2019 anti-government protests.
In its appeal, the justice department has argued that the lower court failed to offer “the greatest weight and deference” to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, who pronounced the song’s circulation a threat to national security in a move that was binding on the judiciary.
Benjamin Yu SC, for the justice minister, on Saturday submitted at the appellate court’s request an amended version of the intended ban, which specifically targeted YouTube videos of 32 renditions of “Glory to Hong Kong”, including instrumental covers and versions sung in foreign languages.
The revised order under review also contained an exemption clause setting out the “lawful acts” that would not be sanctioned, namely academic research and journalistic activity.
