However, in light of huge and often violent democracy protests two years ago, authorities are currently transforming the city. Until now, Hong Kong had boasted of significant artistic and political freedoms compared with mainland China. However, the entertainment giant has not responded to requests for comment, nor has Hong Kong’s government.ĭisney+’s Hong Kong channel includes episodes 11 and 13 of season 16 were available but not 12. However, it is unclear whether Disney+ removed the episode on the order of the authorities or if it was even offered in Hong Kong to begin with. The episode also includes pointed comments about Tibet - where Beijing has been accused of religious oppression - and the Cultural Revolution, a devastating period of upheaval in the last decade of Mao Zedong’s rule. Next, Marge’s sister is pictured standing before a tank, referencing the famous photo from the Tiananmen crackdown of a lone man standing in front of a tank. The cartoon shows a sign there that reads, “On this site, in 1989, nothing happened” - a satirical nod to China’s campaign to purge memories of what happened. In one of the episode’s scenes, the Simpsons are at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, the site of a deadly 1989 crackdown against democracy protesters.
However, eagle-eyed customers soon noticed the conspicuous absence of “The Simpsons” episode 12 of season 16.įirst airing in 2005, the episode features the family’s trip to China in which matriarch Marge Simpson’s sister tries to adopt a baby. The streaming platform’s Hong Kong version started streaming earlier this month. Since its launch 18 months ago, Disney+ has made tremendous advancements with a reach of over 116 million worldwide subscribers. This adds to concerns about mainland China-style censorship in the city. The news of the missing episode comes at a time when authorities are clamping down on dissent, with curbs on speech becoming a norm in the international business hub and ensnaring global media and tech giants.