A man has been arrested for alleged sedition after paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II near the British Consulate in Hong Kong.
The police detained the 43-year-old man Monday evening outside the consulate where a crowd had gathered in honor of the late queen, CBS News reported. Elizabeth was the sovereign of Hong Kong until 1997 when the British colony was handed over to China.
According to local media reports, the man played songs on the harmonica outside the consulate. One of the songs he played was “Glory to Hong Kong,” the anthem of pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Hundreds lining up outside the British Consulate in #HongKong to pay tribute to #QueenElizabeth . #hk #QueenElizabethII #uk pic.twitter.com/AXpy8T2YuI
— Vernon Yuen (@vernon_yuen) September 12, 2022
The man was arrested on suspicion of “committing an act with seditious intent,” the Hong Kong police reported. The police refused to provide further details.
Thousands of Hong Kong residents paid tribute to the queen, known as “boss lady” by those who remember colonial rule, after her passing. Before the arrest, authorities had permitted residents to grieve openly.
When Hong Kong rejoined China in 1977, it remained autonomous for nearly 50 years under the “one country, two systems” framework, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
In recent years, China has ignored the initial agreement and restricted Hong Kong’s freedoms. A 2020 law gave the Chinese government the right to punish critics and silence those in dissent, the CFR reported.
Hong Kong police and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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