Disney is removing a scene from an episode of The Simpsons which references forced labour in Hong Kong. The episode, titled “Marge in Chains”, aired in 1993 and features a scene with a sweatshop where children are working in the background. The scene has been removed from the episode for broadcast in Hong Kong, as it is seen as offensive by some viewers in the region. Disney has not commented on why the scene was removed, but it is believed to be in response to growing criticism in Hong Kong about the city’s alleged use of forced labour.
HONG KONG (AP) – Walt Disney Co. has removed an episode of The Simpsons animated series that contained a reference to “forced labor camps” in China from its Hong Kong streaming service.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why The Simpsons season 34 episode “One Angry Lisa” was not available for streaming on the Disney Plus streaming service in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory, according to reviews by The Associated Press.
The episode first aired on TV in October and it was not clear when the episode would be removed from the Hong Kong streaming service.
In the episode, Simpsons character Marge Simpson takes a virtual spin class, whose teacher stands in front of a virtual backdrop of the Great Wall of China and says, “Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where kids make smartphones.”
The issue of forced labor is sensitive in China. Communist-ruled Beijing has increasingly imposed its control over Hong Kong, a former British colony, after taking control of the territory in 1997.
For years, western governments and activists have accused China of imprisoning hundreds of thousands of ethnic minorities — mostly Uyghurs — in detention camps in the western Xinjiang region. China has denied allegations that it uses forced labor in these camps.
China says the camps are educational centers designed to teach Mandarin Chinese and job skills.
China pledged that Hong Kong would retain its western-style freedoms for 50 years after the handover from British rule. But Beijing has tightened controls after imposing a national security law following massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, raising concerns about weakening civil liberties like freedom of expression and the press.
In 2021, Hong Kong introduced a film censorship law that would allow authorities to ban films that run counter to national security interests. At the time, officials said regulating films shown online would be outside the scope of the bill.
Censorship of Western television series or films is common in mainland China, with censors deleting scenes or banning content deemed to violate values deemed appropriate by the Chinese Communist Party.
The Simpsons were shown in China for a time. According to reviews by The AP, clips of The Simpsons can still be found on Chinese video sites, but not the scene from One Angry Lisa.
The Associated Press
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