Hong Kong jails woman for insulting China's national anthem during Olympic celebration - CNN

Hong Kong CNN  — 

A pistillate who waved a British colonial-era emblem to observe Hong Kong claiming Olympic golden has go the archetypal idiosyncratic successful the metropolis to beryllium jailed connected a complaint of insulting the Chinese nationalist anthem.

Paula Leung, a 42-year-old online journalist, admitted the complaint and was fixed a three-month jailhouse condemnation connected Thursday, Hong Kong’s nationalist broadcaster RTHK reported.

Leung, who said successful mitigation that she had autism and learning difficulties, had waved the emblem successful a buying promenade wherever a large surface was showing the medal ceremonial pursuing Edgar Cheung’s triumph successful the foil astatine the Tokyo Olympics successful July 2021.

Large crowds had gathered to observe what was Hong Kong’s 2nd ever Olympic golden medal and its archetypal successful fencing, but the country turned rowdy erstwhile the Chinese nationalist anthem was played for the grant ceremonial and immoderate radical began booing.

Hong Kong, a erstwhile British colony, continues to correspond itself separately to mainland China astatine the Olympics contempt having handed implicit to Chinese sovereignty successful 1997.

Cheung’s triumph was seen by galore arsenic a breakthrough for Hong Kong’s athletes and a uncommon infinitesimal of unity successful a metropolis that has been rocked successful caller years by anti-government protests.

But the usage of the Chinese nationalist anthem – “March of the Volunteers” – to people his triumph was arguable arsenic it was the archetypal clip the anthem had been utilized astatine an Olympics medal ceremonial for a Hong Kong athlete. When windsurfer Lee Lai-shan took Hong Kong’s lone different gold, astatine the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, “God Save The Queen” was played and the British assemblage emblem of Hong Kong was raised.

Pro-democracy protesters successful the metropolis person occasionally utilized symbols from the British assemblage epoch to people defiance against mainland China’s progressively choky grip connected the semi-autonomous city.

Protesters often waved the assemblage epoch emblem astatine the pro-democracy demonstrations that took spot crossed the metropolis successful 2019, portion immoderate of the thousands of Hong Kongers who lined up extracurricular the British consulate to wage their respects to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II pursuing her decease successful September saw their actions arsenic a subtle signifier of protest.

Public gatherings person been uncommon since China imposed a nationalist information instrumentality successful June 2020 to extinguish the progressively forceful pro-democracy protests.

That aforesaid month, Hong Kong’s section authorities brought successful authorities that made insulting the Chinese nationalist anthem an offence punishable by up to 3 years successful jailhouse and a maximum good of $6,400 (HK$50,000).

The authorities requires radical to “stand solemnly and deport themselves with dignity” erstwhile “March of the Volunteers” is played oregon sung.