A flag-raising ceremony is held at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, in celebration of the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Oct 1, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has sought a court injunction to prohibit advocacy of the protest song Glory to Hong Kong, a song that intends to promote secession and seditious acts. 

An SAR government spokesman pointed out the aim of the injunction is to restrain anyone from disseminating or performing the protest song with the intention to incite others to commit secession

The song was widely circulated during the 2019 social unrest in Hong Kong. Its lyrics contain a slogan which has been ruled by the court as constituting secession. The song was repeatedly and mistakenly presented as the city’s “national anthem” during recent overseas sports competitions, including this year’s Ice Hockey World Championship and the Asia Rugby Sevens Series.

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Such blunders have caused serious damage to the country and the HKSAR. To punish such acts or activities that endanger national security, the SAR government has applied to the court for an injunction, a government statement said on Tuesday.

The SAR government hopes the court will restrain spreading of the song with the intention of inciting others to separate the HKSAR from the nation, commit a seditious act, or insult the national anthem, March of the Volunteers.

Ways of spreading the protest song include broadcasting, performing, printing, publishing, selling, offering for sale, distributing, disseminating, displaying or reproducing in any way, whether its melody or lyrics or in combination. The application also covers any adaptation of the song, the melody and/or lyrics that are substantially the same as the song.

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The injunction would also ban acts that would make the song “likely to be mistaken as the national anthem insofar as the HKSAR is concerned; or suggest that the HKSAR is an independent state and has a national anthem of her own”.

Anyone helping or knowingly allowing others to participate in these stipulated acts would also be punished, according to the government statement.

An SAR government spokesman pointed out the aim of the injunction is to restrain anyone from disseminating or performing the song with the intention to incite others to commit secession. This would safeguard national security and preserve the dignity of the national anthem.

The SAR government respects and values the rights and freedoms protected by the Basic Law, but freedom of speech is not absolute, the spokesman added.

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com