Disney+ users in the city of Hong Kong made the discovery that an episode of âThe Simpsonsâ isnât available for them to stream. Titled âGoo Goo Gai Pan,â the episode has been censored by removal from the streaming platform as it depicts the family visiting Beijingâs Tiananmen Square, where they come across a plaque that reads: âOn this site, in 1989, nothing happened.â
Additionally, the episode refers to the famous âTank Manâ photo where a man stands in front of a line of tanks as the military put a halt on student-led protests back on June 4th, 1989. The episode originally aired for the show back in 2005.
It remains unclear as to whether Disney was pressured to remove the episode, as both Disney and the Hong Kong Office of the Communications Authority have not immediately returned FOX Businessâ requests for comment. However, it should be noted that Hong Kongâs legislature passed a law banning films that âendorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national securityâ from being screened or distributed.
Alongside the apparent removal of the episode, Hong Kong authorities have also banned gatherings commemorating the massacre, citing pandemic restrictions. Furthermore, a museum dedicated to the events of Tiananmen Square was shut down following a visit from police, and Hong Kong University had made an announcement regarding the planned removal of a statue commemorating the victims, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Disneyâs live-action remake of Mulan sparked controversy for being partially filmed in Chinaâs Xinjiang region while its lead actress faced backlash regarding her outspoken support for Hong Kong police. Simu Liu, lead-actor for âShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,â faced scrutiny for referring to China as a âthird worldâ country where people were âdying of starvation.â And âEternalsâ director Chloe Zhao, born in Beijing, made historic Oscar wins, but they were censored in China because of comments made in 2013 where she called the country âa place where there are lies everywhere,â according to Variety.
Both Marvel films have yet to be released in China.