Three individuals were apprehended for sitting and turning their backs during the playing of China’s national anthem before Hong Kong’s home World Cup qualifier against Iran, as announced by the police on Friday, June 7.
According to AFP, In Hong Kong, football enthusiasts previously used to express their political discontent by booing the national anthem.
However, in 2020, the government banned this practice as part of a broader crackdown following large-scale protests in the city.
At Hong Kong Stadium on Thursday, two men and a woman were taken into custody because they “turned their backs toward the pitch and did not stand for the playing of the national anthem,” according to the police.
“Police emphasized that anyone who publicly and intentionally insults the national anthem in any way commits a crime,” stated a press release.
The three arrested individuals ranged in age from 18 to 31. If found guilty, they could face up to three years in prison and a fine of HK$50,000 (US$6,400).
Despite Hong Kong’s aspirations to advance to the next stage of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup being already dashed, they went on to lose the match against Iran 4-2.
Hong Kong, while being a special administrative region of China, competes under its own name in many international sports, including football.
During the politically turbulent 2010s, the Hong Kong team became a symbol of civic pride and occasionally anti-government sentiment.
During that period, the Chinese national anthem was frequently drowned out by jeers prior to Hong Kong matches, which infuriated officials both locally and in mainland China.
Shortly after Beijing imposed a comprehensive national security law on Hong Kong in 2020, the city passed a separate local statute that criminalizes insults directed at the anthem.
