A Hong Kong court has blocked the Hong Kong government’s attempt to ban the song “Glory to Hong Kong,” which was sung during the city’s 2019 anti-government protests.

The Hong Kong High Court rejected an application by the Hong Kong Department of Justice for an injunction against “Glory to Hong Kong,” questioning the effectiveness of the ban, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The High Court explained its dismissal by saying that existing laws are sufficient to punish the publication and dissemination of “Glory to Hong Kong,” adding that an injunction against the song would undermine freedom of expression and have a potential chilling effect.

Hong Kong’s Department of Justice filed an application with the High Court on March 6, seeking a ban on the performance and reproduction of “Glory to Hong Kong” by anyone with seditious intent or intending to promote independence.

“Glory to Hong Kong” is an unauthorized song written during the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong, and includes the phrase “Liberate Hong Kong, revolutionize the times” (光復香港時代革命), which was a signature chant of protesters at the time.

The song has been effectively banned in Hong Kong since the enactment of the National Security Ordinance in 2020, 먹튀검증토토사이트 with people singing “Glory to Hong Kong” or chanting “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolutionize the Era” in public being detained and punished by police.

On July 27, a man in his 60s was sentenced to three months in prison for incitement after posting a social media post with “Glory to Hong Kong” as the music.