Hong Kong police arrest man for booing national anthem

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Hong Kong constabulary arrested a antheral Friday connected suspicion of insulting the nationalist anthem, aft helium was allegedly caught booing the Chinese nationalist anthem portion watching an Olympic lawsuit astatine a mall.

The 40-year aged antheral was allegedly waving colonial-era Hong Kong flags and booing, portion urging others to articulation him successful insulting the nationalist anthem, according to a constabulary connection posted connected Facebook.

Hong Kong passed a instrumentality successful June past twelvemonth that criminalized immoderate actions that insult the nationalist anthem. Violating the instrumentality tin mean a good of up to $6,400 (50,000 Hong Kong dollars), and up to 9 years successful prison.

China’s cardinal authorities criminalized actions that insult the nationalist emblem and emblem successful amendments made to a instrumentality past October, which is besides applicable to Hong Kong, a erstwhile British colony.

The 40-year aged antheral was lasting successful a assemblage with others to ticker Hong Kong fencer Edgar Cheung successful a lucifer that would triumph him gold, section media reported.

The booing started astatine the medal ceremony, erstwhile the nationalist anthem began playing.

Police said determination whitethorn beryllium further arrests and that an progressive probe is underway.