Advertisement
Advertisement
Occupy Central
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Kenny G poses with protesters in Admiralty. Photo: Mark Bong

I don't support Hong Kong's Occupy protest, says Kenny G after stern words from Beijing

Best selling US jazz musician Kenny G has said he does not support pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong despite photos of him attending a demonstration site in Admiralty.

Best selling US jazz musician Kenny G has said he does not support pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong after photos of him attending the demonstration site at Admiralty went viral, prompting a stern response from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The saxophonist, real name Kenneth Gorelick, was photographed at the main protest site on Wednesday and posted on Twitter a picture of himself at the site, along with the message that he wished “everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation”. The post was later removed.

News of his apparent support for the Occupy Central movement spread quickly on social media and was picked up by several international publications, including the .

The musician is hugely popular in China, where his hit song is often played by shopping malls and fitness centres to signify to customers that it is time to leave, though he told the earlier this year that he rarely gets any royalties despite its prevalence. 

“Kenny G’s musical works are widely popular in China, but China’s position on the illegal Occupy Central activities in Hong Kong is very clear,” China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in response to a reporter's question during a regular press briefing.

“We hope that foreign governments and individuals speak and act cautiously and not support the Occupy Central and other illegal activities in any form,” she added.

Kenny G recently kicked off a world tour with four concerts in China including one at which he was joined onstage by Jackie Chan, a critic of the protests.
The jazz star seemed to take the Foreign Ministry’s warning to heart, writing in a statement published on Facebook that he “was not trying to defy government orders with my last post”.

“I was in Hong Kong as a stop on my way to perform at Mission Hills and happened to walk by the protest area as I was walking around Hong Kong as a tourist,” he wrote. “Some fans took my picture and it’s unfair that I am being used by anyone to say that I am showing support for the demonstrators.

“I am not supporting the demonstrators as I don’t really know anything about the situation and my impromptu visit to the site was just part of an innocent walk around Hong Kong.

“I only wanted to share my wish for peace for Hong Kong and for all of China as I feel close to and care about China very much,” he concluded. “Please don’t mistake my peace sign for any other sign than a sign for peace.”

Reaction to the post was mostly angry, with many Facebook users – most of whose profile pictures featured yellow ribbons, the symbol of the protests – accusing him of being scared of the Chinese government.

Though they may have lost Kenny G, another popular musician has voiced his support for the Hong Kong protesters. 

In an email to US-based Occupy Central solidarity group NY4HK confirmed by the Post, Japanese musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, currently undergoing cancer treatment in New York, told protesters in Hong Kong: "I am on your side!" 

Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook!

Post