Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific apologises, removes Family Guy episode over Tiananmen Square reference

Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, has issued an apology and removed an episode of the animated TV series Family Guy from its in-flight entertainment system after a complaint was made about its content.

The episode, which features a reference to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, was flagged on social media over concerns that it could potentially violate Hong Kong's national security laws.

Apology and immediate removal

Cathay Pacific confirmed the removal of the episode in response to the complaint. A spokesperson for the airline told the South China Morning Post that the company took the matter seriously, emphasising that the content of the show "does not represent Cathay Pacific’s standpoint." The airline acted swiftly to remove the episode, which includes a controversial seven-second scene referencing the famous "Tank Man" image from the Tiananmen Square protests.

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Controversial Scene in Family Guy

The episode in question features a scene where the main character, Peter Griffin, is seen standing next to a protester in front of a line of Chinese tanks. This image closely mirrors the iconic moment of an unknown individual, later known as "Tank Man," who stood in front of a column of tanks during the violent crackdown on student demonstrators in Beijing on June 4, 1989.

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The TV show, Family Guy is known for pushing the boundaries of comedy, often incorporating politically sensitive themes and controversial historical references into its humour. The Tiananmen Square reference was flagged due to the highly sensitive nature of the topic, especially in the context of Hong Kong's increasingly strict approach to national security.

Cathay Pacific also said it had instructed its third-party content provider to conduct a thorough review of its in-flight programming. The airline emphasised that it would strengthen its oversight to avoid similar issues in the future.