People 'can have Glory, just make sure nobody else hears it'

Stacy Shi

The interim injunction placed on the protest anthem Glory to Hong Kong does not ban the song itself, but rather behavior associated with it, senior counsel Ronny Tong Ka-wah said.

Tong said the decision aims to prohibit actions related to the song, saying that having it on one's computer does not warrant police intervention or imprisonment.

"A person's behavior will determine whether he or she breached the law. Police won't raid a home and imprison someone simply because the song is stored in their computer," he said.

However, Tong advised changing ringtones if phones feature the song, as the verdict places the responsibility on people who are aware of the song's nature to ensure others don't hear it.

He said "music platforms that continue to host it for downloading the potential legal risks" as the injunction prohibits any form of assistance in distributing the song.

Violations may lead to contempt-of-court charges, but if there are indications of an intent to violate national security, there is a likelihood of prosecution under the security law.

Several YouTube links listed in the judgment remained accessible as of yesterday.

The Asian Internet Coalition of giants such as Google, Meta (formerly Facebook) and X (formerly Twitter), which is evaluating the injunction, said "a free and open internet is the foundation of Hong Kong's determination to become an international innovation center."

Tong is confident these organizations will eventually, as they have declared their intention to comply with local laws and court judgments.

He said internet service providers might need more time due to technical issues as the prohibition applies only to Hong Kong, so they only need to ensure the song cannot be downloaded or played here.