- The incident happened when people gathered to watch fencer Cheung Ka-long win the city’s first gold medal in 25 years
- A law passed in 2020 makes it a crime to disrespect the Chinese national anthem
Cheung Ka-long took home Hong Kong’s first gold medal in 25 years, and its second one ever. Photo: ReutersHong Kong police said on Friday they were launching an investigation into the booing of China’s national anthem that took place in a shopping mall earlier this week.
More than 100 people gathered in a shopping mall on Monday to watch Cheung Ka-long claim the Olympic men’s individual fencing title, the city’s first gold medal in 25 years.
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Police said they fielded complaints that some people booed during the award ceremony when China’s national anthem was played, according to local media. Some also shouted “We are Hong Kong.”
“The police have launched an investigation into the incident and will collect relevant evidence,” police told Reuters in a statement.
The city passed a law in June 2020 that criminalised disrespect of China’s national anthem. Anyone found guilty of misusing or insulting the anthem could be jailed for up to three years and fined.