Hong Kong’s Cathay says sorry, removes Family Guy episode with Tiananmen ‘Tank Man’ scene

Carrier apologises after internet user complains over content potentially breaching national security law

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Cathay Pacific has removed a Family Guy episode that contains a scene of Tiananmen Square’s “Tank Man” from its in-flight content. Photo: Fuzzy Door Productions

Published: 11:39am, 4 Dec 2024Updated: 11:35pm, 4 Dec 2024

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised and removed an episode of the animated American series Family Guy that references Tiananmen Square’s “Tank Man” from its in-flight entertainment system.

In its reply to the Post on Tuesday night, Cathay Pacific apologised to affected customers after an internet user made a complaint on a social media page about content on the system that could potentially breach national security legislation.

“We emphasise that the programme’s content does not represent Cathay Pacific’s standpoint and have immediately arranged to have the programme removed as soon as possible,” a spokesman for the carrier said.

“Tank Man” refers to a famous image of a stand-off between an unidentified civilian and a line of military tanks leaving Beijing’s Tiananmen Square after a brutal crackdown on protesters in 1989.

The episode in question, “Death Has a Shadow”, is in the first season of the sitcom and includes a scene of the main character Peter Griffin standing next to a man in Tiananmen Square in front of approaching tanks.

The animated series centres on the adventures of an eccentric family living in New England in the United States.