Aimee Walker
Disney+ has removed an episode of The Simpsons in Hong Kong ‘because of a reference’ to the infamous Tiananmen Square massacre.
In one scene, the cartoon family visits the site in Beijing where protestors were killed by government-backed troops.
A plaque is seen, which reads: “Tiananmen Square: On this site, in 1989, nothing happened.”
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This references the Chinese Communist party‘s decision to ban discussions about the massacre and the measures the government took to censor details about it.
Users of the streaming service reported that the show’s 16th season skips from episode 11 to 13, notably leaving out episode 12, called ‘Homer the Great,’ which is where the joke features. It first aired on Fox in 2005.
Hong Kong’s legislature passed a new law banning films that ‘violate China’s national security’ interests last month.
Alvin Lum, a reporter based in the city, tweeted a screenshot of the episode’s joke, writing: “Disney has allegedly removed one episode of The Simpsons from the Hong Kong edition of Disney+, which described the family’s visit to Beijing and carried this famous scene.”
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Disney has allegedly removed one episode of The Simpsons from the Hong Kong edition of Disney+, which described the family’s visit to Beijing and carried this famous scene.
Via @StandNewsHK https://t.co/PAs1SdoxEk pic.twitter.com/VwXiFHADAK
— Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) November 27, 2021
Despite the recent changes to legislation, Netflix Hong Kong is still streaming the South Park episode, ‘Band in China,’ which shows the character Randy ending up in a Chinese concentration camp.
A documentary, Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower, directed by Joe Piscatella, can also still be streamed. It features a student activist who became the face of the 2014 pro-democarcy movement.
It has not been confirmed whether the Simpsons episode was removed by Disney+ or Chinese officials.
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