Disney cuts Simpsons ‘compelled labor’ episode in Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — Walt Disney Co. has eliminated an episode from cartoon collection The Simpsons that included a reference to “forced labor camps” in China from its streaming service in Hong Kong.

The corporate didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about why the episode, “One Offended Lisa” from The Simpsons’ thirty fourth season, was not obtainable to stream on the Disney Plus streaming service within the semi-autonomous Chinese language territory, in keeping with checks by The Related Press.

The episode first aired on tv in October and it was not clear when the episode was faraway from the Hong Kong streaming service.

Within the episode, Simpsons character Marge Simpson takes a digital spin class whose teacher is in entrance of a digital background of the Nice Wall of China and says: “Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, compelled labor camps the place kids make smartphones.”

The problem of compelled labor is sensitive in China. Communist-ruled Beijing has more and more imposed its controls over Hong Kong, a former British colony, after taking management of the territory in 1997.

Western governments and activists have for years accused China of imprisoning a whole bunch of hundreds of ethnic minorities — primarily Uyghurs — within the western area of Xinjiang in detention camps. China has rejected accusations it makes use of compelled labor in these camps.

China says the camps are schooling facilities designed to show Mandarin Chinese language and vocational expertise.

China promised that Hong Kong would retain its Western-style freedoms for 50 years after the handover from British rule. However Beijing has been tightening controls after imposing a Nationwide Safety Legislation following large pro-democracy protests in 2019, elevating issues over a weakening of civil liberties equivalent to freedom of speech and the press.

In 2021, Hong Kong applied a movie censorship legislation would enable authorities to ban movies deemed opposite to nationwide safety pursuits. On the time, officers stated that regulating movies proven on-line can be outdoors the scope of the invoice.

Censorship of Western tv collection or movies is widespread in mainland China, with censors deleting scenes or banning content material seen as going in opposition to values deemed acceptable by the Chinese language Communist Social gathering.

The Simpsons has been screened at occasions in China. In line with checks by The AP, clips of the Simpsons can nonetheless be discovered on Chinese language video websites, however not the scene from “One Offended Lisa.”