Chinese national anthem booed and human chain formed at Hong Kong v Iran World Cup soccer qualifier as protests enter the sporting arena
- Fans protest before kick-off and again at half-time in first home qualifying match for 2022 World Cup at Hong Kong Stadium
- National anthem March of the Volunteers has been regularly booed by local fans since World Cup qualifier in 2015
Defiant protesters took their campaign against the government and Beijing to Hong Kong Stadium on Tuesday night, booing the national anthem and forming a long human chain as the city’s soccer squad lost 2-0 to Iran in its first home qualifier for the 2022 World Cup.
The crowd booed when the Chinese national anthem was played before kick-off. They also belted out Glory to Hong Kong, one of the de facto anthems of the ongoing protest movement.
Following a call circulated online, protesters among the 13,942 in attendance also formed a human chain encircling the stadium during the half-time break, a means of peaceful protest inspired by the 1989 Baltic Way, which has become popular in Hong Kong over the last month. Protesters brandished their phones with the light switched on. Some other supporters formed more mobile chains while chanting slogans.
It was not the first time soccer games in the city had become political arenas for some citizens to express their activism.
In November 2015, tensions were high during a World Cup qualifier between Hong Kong and China when spectators booed the national anthem, March of the Volunteers, and chanted “We are Hong Kong!”, a year after the end of the Occupy Central protests that paralysed parts of the city. Since then, booing the anthem has become a regular feature of Hong Kong international matches.
Beijing passed a law in September 2017 outlawing disrespect for the anthem but it will not affect Hong Kong until local legislation is passed in the city.
Jacky Cheng, a long-time fan of Hong Kong’s football team, came wearing a white T-shirt, but queued up to buy a red Hong Kong team shirt from the souvenir shop so that he could put it on.
You cannot separate soccer from politics. It is precisely because of freedom that we can all be here now to watch this game
“I support the Hong Kong team and I support Hongkongers,” said the 32-year-old property manager, who has been cheering on the city’s team since he was in his early teens.
“You cannot separate soccer from politics. It is precisely because of freedom that we can all be here now to watch this game,” he said.
His biggest nightmare is that one day, the one country, two systems principle, which governs the city and grants the city high autonomy will be no more. “Would China still allow Hong Kong to play?” he asked.
Jesse Wong, 24, said the political touch showed that the demands Hongkongers fighting for had been infused into people’s lives.
“The request has planted deep into everyone’s heart no matter where they are and what they are doing,” the shipping firm clerk said.
Thomas Mak, 24, a regular at matches, said he felt something different.
“Things have become relatable that it doesn’t feel like they are just the demands of protesters. The football fans are on their side too,” said Mak.
Soccer fans began to gather outside Causeway Bay MTR station at 7pm, answering calls on social messenger app Telegram and internet forum lihkg.com, the chief platforms for activist organising since the anti-government protests started 14 weeks ago.
“We are Hong Kong,” they chanted and clapped in time.
Calls for support for social movement when Hong Kong take on Iran in World Cup qualifiers
They marched in droves up Yun Ping Road towards the stadium, where the match was began at 8pm.
At times, the cheering for the Hong Kong team turned political, with the chants turning to “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong”.
Since the demonstrations began, protesters have demanded the government withdraw the unpopular extradition bill, which, had it been passed, would have allowed the city to send fugitives to, among other places, mainland China for trial. The government finally backed down and officially withdrew the bill on September 3, after the initial move to suspend it failed to satisfy protesters.
But the defiance – at times violent – has continued as protesters refused to give up four other demands, including the setting up of an independent inquiry to look into what they said was police brutality during the past 14 weeks of protests.
A widely circulated online post called on fans to wear red – the Hong Kong representative team’s colours.
“We are all team Hong Kong. There is no difference between you and me,” it said.
Another post on lihkg.com said one could never separate soccer and politics. “Many soccer fan clubs have spoken. It’s left to us to support those fan clubs and to support Hongkongers,” it said.
China imposes national anthem law on Hong Kong, raising spectre of prison terms
It referred to a wave of statements made by local soccer fan clubs, criticising the Hong Kong police’s actions, with some asking members who are police officers to turn in their membership cards. They included the Chelsea FC Supporters Club Hong Kong and the official fan club for Liverpool Football Club.
About 30 local soccer fan clubs also released a joint statement last week to “condemn Hong Kong police’s abuse of power and brutality”.
“The most important thing is for Hongkongers to support our Hong Kong team. Come to Hong Kong Stadium on September 10 for the game against Iran. We chant slogans together and let every friend of ours know what is happening to Hong Kong,” the post on internet forums said.
“Five demands, not one less,” it added, citing a slogan popular at protests.
