Glory to Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government first sought to wholly ban the song in June 2023, seeking a [[Injunction|legal injunction]] on the song's lyrics and melody and any adaptations thereof, citing the national security law, the sedition law, and the [[National Anthem Ordinance|national anthem law]]. The government bid was initially rejected by the [[Court of First Instance (Hong Kong)|Court of First Instance]], which raised concerns over the [[chilling effect]]s on [[Freedom of speech|freedom of expression]] that a ban would bring. The judge ruled that "perfectly innocent people" might refrain from engaging in lawful acts involving the song "for fear of trespassing the injunction which has severe consequences". The government appealed the rejection, saying that the song was seditious and could endanger national security.{{Cite web |last=Ho |first=Kelly |date=2024-02-26 |title=Make YouTube links of protest song Glory to Hong Kong illegal - gov't lawyers |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/02/26/over-30-youtube-links-related-to-2019-protest-song-should-be-declared-illegal-hong-kong-govt-lawyers-argue/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=[[Hong Kong Free Press]] |language=en-GB}}

The Hong Kong government first sought to wholly ban the song in June 2023, seeking a [[Injunction|legal injunction]] on the song's lyrics and melody and any adaptations thereof, citing the national security law, the sedition law, and the [[National Anthem Ordinance|national anthem law]]. The government bid was initially rejected by the [[Court of First Instance (Hong Kong)|Court of First Instance]], which raised concerns over the [[chilling effect]]s on [[Freedom of speech|freedom of expression]] that a ban would bring. The judge ruled that "perfectly innocent people" might refrain from engaging in lawful acts involving the song "for fear of trespassing the injunction which has severe consequences". The government appealed the rejection, saying that the song was seditious and could endanger national security.{{Cite web |last=Ho |first=Kelly |date=2024-02-26 |title=Make YouTube links of protest song Glory to Hong Kong illegal - gov't lawyers |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/02/26/over-30-youtube-links-related-to-2019-protest-song-should-be-declared-illegal-hong-kong-govt-lawyers-argue/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=[[Hong Kong Free Press]] |language=en-GB}}

On 8 May 2024, the [[Court of Appeal (Hong Kong)|Court of Appeal]] ruled in favour of the government, banning criminal acts involving the song. The criminal acts include "broadcasting, performing, printing, publishing, selling, offering for sale, distributing, disseminating, displaying or reproducing in any way" of the song. Exceptions were made for academic and journalistic purposes. According to the judges, the junction was to be effectively enforced by internet platform operators, as it was impractical to bring proceedings against anonymous online users using the song.{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Willa |date=2024-05-08 |title=Popular protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' banned after previous court ruling overturned |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3261875/popular-protest-song-glory-hong-kong-banned-after-previous-ruling-overturned |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |language=en}} Following the court ruling, on 15 May 2024, [[YouTube]] blocked access in Hong Kong to 32 videos of the song listed in the court's removal order. YouTube said that it was "disappointed by the Court's decision" but that it was complying with the removal order, and that it shared [[human rights group]]s' concerns that the content ban could chill free expression online.{{Cite web |last1=Dastin |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Pomfret |first2=James |date=2024-05-15 |title=YouTube to block Hong Kong protest anthem videos after court order |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/youtube-says-it-will-block-certain-videos-hong-kong-following-court-order-2024-05-14/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=[[Reuters]]}}{{Cite web |last=Grundy |first=Tom |date=2024-05-15 |title='Glory to Hong Kong': Google blocks 32 YouTube videos of protest song after court ruling |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/15/glory-to-hong-kong-blocked-by-google-youtube/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=[[Hong Kong Free Press]] |language=en}}

On 8 May 2024, the [[Court of Appeal (Hong Kong)|Court of Appeal]] ruled in favour of the government, banning criminal acts involving the song. The criminal acts include "broadcasting, performing, printing, publishing, selling, offering for sale, distributing, disseminating, displaying or reproducing in any way" of the song. Exceptions were made for academic and journalistic purposes. According to the judges, the junction was to be effectively enforced by internet platform operators, as it was impractical to bring proceedings against anonymous online users using the song.{{Cite web |last=Wu |first=Willa |date=2024-05-08 |title=Popular protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' banned after previous court ruling overturned |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3261875/popular-protest-song-glory-hong-kong-banned-after-previous-ruling-overturned |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |language=en}}

Following the court ruling, [[YouTube]] blocked access in Hong Kong to 32 videos of the song listed in the court's removal order. YouTube said that it was "disappointed by the Court's decision" but that it was complying with the removal order, and that it shared [[human rights group]]s' concerns that the content ban could chill free expression online.{{Cite web |last1=Dastin |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Pomfret |first2=James |date=2024-05-15 |title=YouTube to block Hong Kong protest anthem videos after court order |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/youtube-says-it-will-block-certain-videos-hong-kong-following-court-order-2024-05-14/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=[[Reuters]]}}{{Cite web |last=Grundy |first=Tom |date=2024-05-15 |title='Glory to Hong Kong': Google blocks 32 YouTube videos of protest song after court ruling |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/15/glory-to-hong-kong-blocked-by-google-youtube/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=[[Hong Kong Free Press]] |language=en}} The song was also briefly taken off streaming platforms such as [[Apple Music]] and [[Spotify]] around the world, with distributor [[EmuBands]] citing Hong Kong's ban on the song. Song creator DGX Music, in opposing the removal, said that the injunction does not have extraterritorial jurisdiction.{{Cite web|date=2024-05-25 |title=Glory to Hong Kong: Distributor removes Hong Kong protest song from Spotify, Apple Music after court order |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/25/glory-to-hong-kong-distributor-removes-hong-kong-protest-song-from-spotify-apple-music-after-court-order/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}} Over a month, the song underwent numerous back-and-forths of removal and reuploading, before ultimately being restored.{{Cite web|date=2024-05-29 |title=Protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' appears on streaming platforms again after removal by distributor |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/29/protest-song-glory-to-hong-kong-appears-on-streaming-platforms-again-after-removal-by-distributor/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2024-06-07|title=Protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' removed from streaming platforms again|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/06/07/protest-song-glory-to-hong-kong-removed-from-streaming-platforms-again/|access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}{{cite web|date=2024-06-23|url=https://www.facebook.com/glorytohkdgx/posts/981423346968778|title=《願榮光2023 Edition》專輯將在各平台恢復正常上架。|author=Dgx music|website=[[Facebook]] |access-date=2024-07-16 |language=zh-hk}}

== Controversies ==

== Controversies ==

In July 2023, [[Secretary for Innovation and Technology|Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry]] [[Dong Sun|Sun Dong]] said that Google had asked him to provide proof that "Glory to Hong Kong" was illegal, and therefore the Hong Kong government filed a motion to make it illegal; Sun said "Very well, since you brought up a legal issue, let’s use legal means to solve the problem."{{Cite web |last=Leung |first=Hillary |date=2023-07-03 |title=Google required proof that 'Glory to Hong Kong' was illegal, technology chief says |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2023/07/03/google-required-proof-that-glory-to-hong-kong-was-illegal-technology-chief-says/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

In July 2023, [[Secretary for Innovation and Technology|Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry]] [[Dong Sun|Sun Dong]] said that Google had asked him to provide proof that "Glory to Hong Kong" was illegal, and therefore the Hong Kong government filed a motion to make it illegal; Sun said "Very well, since you brought up a legal issue, let’s use legal means to solve the problem."{{Cite web |last=Leung |first=Hillary |date=2023-07-03 |title=Google required proof that 'Glory to Hong Kong' was illegal, technology chief says |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2023/07/03/google-required-proof-that-glory-to-hong-kong-was-illegal-technology-chief-says/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

In May 2024, Hong Kong's [[Court of Appeal (Hong Kong)|Court of Appeal]] overturned a 2023 decision by the Court of First Instance rejecting the injunction to ban the song, citing free speech concerns. Following the injunction, Google blocked Hong Kong users from accessing 32 videos of "Glory to Hong Kong" on YouTube.{{Cite web |last=Grundy |first=Tom |date=2024-05-15 |title='Glory to Hong Kong': Google blocks 32 YouTube videos of protest song after court ruling |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/15/glory-to-hong-kong-blocked-by-google-youtube/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

=== Global removal on streaming platforms ===

On 24 May 2024, the song was taken off streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify around the world, with [[EmuBands|the distributor]] citing Hong Kong's ban on the song. DGX Music said they opposed its removal and the injunction does not have extraterritorial jurisdiction. DGX Music also said the song itself is not banned by the Hong Kong Government.{{Cite web|date=2024-05-25 |title=Glory to Hong Kong: Distributor removes Hong Kong protest song from Spotify, Apple Music after court order |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/25/glory-to-hong-kong-distributor-removes-hong-kong-protest-song-from-spotify-apple-music-after-court-order/ |access-date=2024-05-26 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}

On 29 May 2024, the a cappella, orchestral, instrument, music box, and English versions of the song were reuploaded to Apple Music and Spotify. DGX Music said the “Unjustified repression will not silence the people, and even if we lose our instruments and our accompaniment, even if we lose a publisher, our pursuit of freedom and democracy will never end.”{{Cite web|date=2024-05-29 |title=Protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' appears on streaming platforms again after removal by distributor |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/05/29/protest-song-glory-to-hong-kong-appears-on-streaming-platforms-again-after-removal-by-distributor/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}} On 6 June 2023, [[DistroKid]] taken down the song.{{Cite web|date=2024-06-07|title=Protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong' removed from streaming platforms again|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2024/06/07/protest-song-glory-to-hong-kong-removed-from-streaming-platforms-again/|access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}} On 23 June 2024, the song was reuploaded.{{cite web|date=2024-06-23|url=https://www.facebook.com/glorytohkdgx/posts/981423346968778|title=《願榮光2023 Edition》專輯將在各平台恢復正常上架。|author=Dgx music|website=[[Facebook]] |access-date=2024-07-16 |language=zh-hk}}

==See also==

==See also==