Disney+ Hong Kong's move to censor a “The Simpsons” episode concerning Beijing's Tiananmen Square has drawn flak after the platform's launch earlier this month.
Variety reported that episode, titled “Goo Goo Gai Pan,” which is the 12th in the 16th season, cannot be accessed in Hong Kong but remains available in other parts of Asia.
Via virtual private networks, users from Hong Kong can change their IP addresses, allowing them to view the banned content.
The episode follows the family on their trip to China with Aunt Selma as she adopts a baby.
During their visit, Homer and the gang made several cracks about the Chinese government and, at one point, described Mao Zedong as “like a little angel that killed 50 million people," according to the New York Daily News.
“Goo Goo Gai Pan" also features a visual gag of a sign near the site of the Tiananmen Square Massacre that reads, “On this site, in 1989, nothing happened.” The scene shortly followed a recreation of the iconic image of a pro-democracy protester facing down a tank.
On June 4, 1989, the Tiananmen Square protests, also known as the June Fourth Incident in China, saw a student uprising being wiped out with lethal force. The tragedy made the "tank man" photographs of a protester defying oncoming military hardware famous.
Reports suggest thousands of protesters died in the uprising that has since been heavily censored within mainland China because the government deemed it a threat to the legitimacy of its continued one-party rule, CNN Business noted.
However, in contrast, activists in Hong Kong have kept the memory alive for many years. They would hold large public vigils and erect a prominent statue at a local university.
A former British colony, Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under the "one country, two systems" scheme in 1997, which saw its way of life, the rule of law, and its capitalist economy maintained for 50 years. However, in recent years, China seems to be pushing for comprehensive jurisdiction.
Beijing’s imposition of a National Security Law in 2020 also put forward several other pieces of legislation and practices that prioritize security and national identity by banning subversion, secession, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces.
The government also ordered the removal of the controversial statue, with public broadcaster RTHK having deleted its past reporting of the Tiananmen Square incident and Hong Kong protests.
The recent enactment of a new film censorship law also bans government-critical films at a festival. However, in a statement, Hong Kong's Bureau of Commerce and Economic Development noted it does not apply to streaming services, like Disney+.
Meanwhile, both Disney and China refused to comment further on the issue.
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