Hong Kong police arrested a man on suspicion of insulting the Chinese national anthem after allegedly booing the Chinese national anthem while watching an Olympic event in a shopping centre.
The 40-yr-old was arrested on Friday evening after allegedly waving and booing Hong Kong colonial flags while urging others to join him in insulting the song, according to a police statement on Facebook.
The man stood in a crowd with others to watch Hong Kong fencer Edgar Cheung play a match that would see him earn a Gold medal. The boos began at the awards ceremony when the national anthem began to play.
Police said there could be more arrests and an active investigation is ongoing.
Hong Kong passed a law in June 2020 criminalizing any act that offends the national anthem. Violating the law can result in a fine of up to €8,000 and up to nine years in prison.
China’s central government criminalized acts that offend the national flag and emblem in amendments to a law in October 2020 that also applies in Hong Kong.
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