YouTube has said that it would comply with a Hong Kong court ruling that banned the distribution of a protest song in the city, heightening concerns about threats to free speech as the government pursues a sweeping campaign against dissent.
On Wednesday YouTube said that it would block videos of the song “Glory to Hong Kong” and links to such videos would no longer appear on YouTube when viewed in the city.
“We are disappointed by the Court’s decision but are complying with its removal order by blocking access to the listed videos for viewers in Hong Kong,” a YouTube spokesperson said. “We’ll continue to consider our options for an appeal, to promote access to information.”
“Glory to Hong Kong” was a popular anthem during the protest movement that began in 2019. The movement was destroyed by authorities imposed by Beijing in 2020.
The song was informally called Hong Kong’s national anthem. That led to some confusion, including in 2022 when it was played for Hong Kong athletes at international competitions.
The Hong Kong police have arrested some people for playing the song in public.
A court also ruled in 2021 that a protest slogan in its lyrics amounted to a call for independence from China, which is illegal under the security law.
The threat of arrest wasn’t enough to thwart people from performing the song or posting it online, so authorities sought to ban it.
The government identified 32 links on YouTube, which began to disappear from view in Hong Kong on Wednesday. “Video unavailable,” those pages now say. “This content is not available on this country domain due to a court order.”