Hong Kong Protesters Create New, Unofficial National Anthem 'Glory To Hong Kong'

In Hong Kong, a new unofficial national anthem titled 'Glory to Hong Kong' has literally struck a chord with pro-democracy activists, demonstrators, and their supporters. The song is quickly becoming a rallying cry for protesters and is yet another show of defiance against Beijing.

The song was likely written by an anonymous composer named “Thomas” who first posted an instrumental version online with musicians dressed in riot gear playing while a fog machine mimicked the haze of tear gas. Thomas asked people to record themselves singing the “anthem” that he collected and assembled into a video with audio that sounds like a choir singing.

On Aug. 31, the full video was uploaded on YouTube with English subtitles and rousing scenes from nearly four months of unrest in Hong Kong. Soon after, people began to sing the song at public venues.

At the city’s busy commercial center called the International Financial Center (IFC), a group of pro-China supporters entered the mall waving Chinese flags and singing the official Chinese national anthem. They became involved in a “sing-off” with pro-democracy supporters singing “Glory to Hong Kong” that soon drowned out the pro-Chinese voices.

At a World Cup qualifying soccer match on Tuesday, the crowd turned their backs and booed the Chinese national anthem and sang “Glory to Hong Kong” instead. According to some reports, various locations around the city have been the site of sing-offs and sing-alongs.

Lo Hiu Pan, who composed “Raise the Umbrella” for the 2014 “Umbrella Movement” demonstrations called the new anthem “powerful” and said, “Sometimes a photo, comic or a song can spread out the message even more usefully than a long article.”

In 1997 Hong Kong was handed over the Chinese as part of an agreement made in 1898. The agreement was to allow the city to exist as a semi-autonomous state until 2047. Younger protesters are resentful toward China on what they see as China tightening their grip on the former British colony.

Hong Kong has never had a national anthem of its own and some protesters say they feel a collective pride when they hear “Glory to Hong Kong”. Milton Wong, a 31-year-old music promoter said, “The song seems encouraging to Hong Kong. And I hope people will take action with that courage.”

Oct. 1 is the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and there are major celebrations planned all over the country including Hong Kong. Chinese President Xi Jinping will certainly not want scenes of protesters singing the song that would be considered a major act of defiance to Beijing.