Hong Kong lawmakers say they will not stand for a national anthem bill that ‘discriminates’ against people in wheelchairs
- Critics refer to a new video that shows an elderly woman rising to her feet
- Government officials say the requirement to stand is only a guideline
Hong Kong’s proposed national anthem law has been slammed by lawmakers who said the requirement that everyone must “stand solemnly” was an affront to the city’s wheelchair users.
“If you don’t delete the requirement of standing solemnly, you will cause misunderstandings, panic and even conflict,” said Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, of the Labour Party.
Cheung pointed out that there were special education school where many pupils could be disabled and could not stand. The bill proposes that the anthem be included in primary and secondary school classrooms.
He said the law should only require people to behave themselves with dignity, without specifying that they must stand up.
“Why do you have to discriminate those who cannot stand?” Cheung said.
The video, which included prominent figures like movie star Jackie Chan and businessman Allan Zeman, was released this year by the Committee of Youth Activities in Hong Kong to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
In the video, a flash mob of community leaders and socialites converge on Golden Bauhinia Square where the national flag-raising ceremony is held every morning and the national anthem is played.
The government has tried to distance itself from the video, saying it was not an official production.
Ip Kin-yuen, an education sector lawmaker, mentioned a case in India, which has a national anthem law. In October 2016, a disabled man was assaulted in a cinema for not standing while the anthem played.
But Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, said the clause about standing was only meant to provide guidance. He said the lawmakers’ concerns reflected why the anthem should be included in primary and secondary education.
“We should teach pupils that manners are not just about physical appearances, but also about inner respect,” Nip said. “If people have physical constraints and are not able to stand solemnly, people will understand their respect.”
Elizabeth Quat, a lawmaker with the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said she believed the law would not force people to get on their feet if they are physically unable to stand.
She said she had never seen people in other countries being arrested if they are unable to stand up for a national anthem.
