bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Vivienne Chow

Ng Kang-chung

A backlash on the mainland continues against entertainment celebrities who have offered support to Hong Kong's democracy protests, with one commentary in state media calling for pro-Occupy Central performers to be censored from the internet.
Criticism that had previously been simmering turned high-profile on Wednesday, when US musician Kenny G's visit to the Admiralty protest site drew a prompt warning from Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying to stay away.
A day later, Xinhua ran a commentary that condemned Hong Kong stars for "betraying" their motherland.
The article, bylined "Wang Mian", lambasted actors Chapman To Man-chat and Anthony Wong Chau-sang, as well as singer Denise Ho Wan-sze.

The article said the stars had been "fed" by the mainland market since Hong Kong's handover in 1997, so their support of the "umbrella movement" was a betrayal of their "Chinese blood".
"On the one hand, you make a lot of cash [from the mainland], and on the other you turn your head and scold your mother [China]," it reads. "Is that the right thing to do to the motherland that feeds you?"
The writer claimed more than 100,000 fans had voted in an online poll to "banish" celebrity supporters of the protests and called for a ban on them performing on the mainland - and even for their names to be censored from the internet.
"Wake up, all Chapman Tos, and look at what Jackie Chan says in his films - only a strong country can give birth to a rich family," the article says. "Organisers of the Occupy protests are mobilising people to take to the streets so they can receive dirty money from the back door. Hong Kong belongs to China, not anyone else."
Lyricist Lin Xi, who had addressed protesters in Admiralty and wrote the lyrics for a protest song, Hold Up Your Umbrella, had a talk at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing cancelled, according to a notice circulated online.
The celebrities, for their part, did not seem overly concerned.

On his Facebook page, To said each pro-Occupy celebrity had a name. "Why call them Chapman Tos?" he wrote.
Ho continued to post information and supportive messages about the protests through her social media accounts yesterday.
Wong retorted that mainlanders who believed they had "fed" him were the ones who should feel ashamed.
"The one who gave birth to me and fed me was my mother," he wrote online. "Did you [mainland internet users] pay me to go to school? Did you look after me when I was sick? Did you pay my school fees at the Academy for Performing Arts?"
Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who is undergoing cancer treatment in New York, offered his support to Hong Kong students, according to US-based Occupy solidarity group NY4HK.
But the ministry successfully silenced Kenny G, who removed a photograph taken at the Admiralty protest camp from his Twitter account. He also declared his "love for China" and denied supporting the protests.
A protester who witnessed Kenny G's visit said he felt let down after the musician deleted a tweet wishing "everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation".
The man, who said he had been camping at the site since September 28, said: "Kenny G has in effect said that what he told the protesters was not what he meant. He had said, 'As Americans, we take democracy for granted … You guys hang in there. Hope you guys will win eventually'."
Additional reporting by James Griffiths
Want more articles like this? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook!


Former jailed ringleader of Hong Kong’s Occupy movement Shiu Ka-chun reveals cancer battle

Nothing brings Hongkongers and mainland Chinese closer together than sports

Former Hong Kong politician ‘major backer’ of firearms purchase from US in ‘Dragon Slaying Brigade’ plot, court hears

Article 23 and the tragedy of Hong Kong

Occupy Central

Beijing mouthpiece calls for pro-Occupy celebrities to be banned from mainland

An author named Wang Mian lambasted singer Denise Ho Wan-see (from left), actors Chapman To Man-chak and Anthony Wong Chau-sang. 

Actor Chapman To does not seem overly concerned. Photo: Dickson Lee

Singer Denise Ho has been a high-profile supporter of the pro-democracy protests. Photo: Sam Tsang

Protesters claim Kenny G did voice support for Occupy, telling them 'hope you guys win eventually'

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

Jazz musician and saxophonist Kenny G performs at a stadium in Hong Kong in 2008. Photo: AFP

Kenny G poses with protesters in Admiralty. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Ryuichi Sakamoto. Photo: AFP

News

Hong Kong

Celebrities criticised for biting the hand that feeds by supporting demonstrators; some stand firm, but Kenny G appears to change tune


A backlash on the mainland continues against entertainment celebrities who have offered support to Hong Kong's democracy protests, with one commentary in state media calling for pro-Occupy Central performers to be censored from the internet.


Beijing mouthpiece calls for pro-Occupy celebrities to be banned from mainland

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Celebrities criticised for biting the hand that feeds by supporting demonstrators; some stand firm, but Kenny G appears to change tune

Celebrities criticised for biting the hand that feeds by supporting demonstrators; some stand firm, but Kenny G appears to change tune