A recent Simpsons episode that mentioned ‘forced labour camps’ in China has been removed from Disney Plus in Hong Kong.
The episode, titled One Angry Lisa, was published in October of last year as part of the 34th season of the long-running series.
It follows Marge as she develops a love for biking, which leads her to attempt the sport on the Great Wall.
However, a throwaway line prompted the streaming site to remove the whole programme from Hong Kong consumers, according to reports.
Marge’s riding teacher advises his pupils to “behold the wonders of China” in the episode.
He adds: ‘Bitcoin mines, forced labour camps where children make smartphones,’ Fox News reported.
While the Chinese government has consistently disputed the charges, it has been the target of assertions that it is committing human rights violations and forcing Uyghurs to work in large detention centres in Xinjiang province.
This is not the first time that episodes of the show have been unavailable on Disney Plus in Hong Kong.
An episode in which the family visits Tiananmen Square was not posted when the streaming service launched in Hong Kong in 2021.
Goo Goo Gai Pan, the 12th episode of the 16th season, satirised the 1989 massacre in Beijing.
It withdrew an episode of The Simpsons in 2021 that satirised the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, which began with a student protest and resulted in hundreds of deaths.
The Simpsons were seen viewing a sign at the site that stated, ‘On this place, in 1989, nothing happened.’
Homer Simpson also referred to Mao Zedong, the former Chinese Communist Party leader, as a “little angel” who slaughtered millions.
It was instantly outlawed in China.
While the former British colony of Hong Kong had exceptional liberties under the ‘one nation, two systems’ arrangement after it was returned to China in 1997, it has progressively come under Chinese influence and control.
In 2021, China passed a national security law in Hong Kong, making it easier to prosecute pro-democracy protests.
The Simpsons is airing on Disney Plus.
