HONG KONG: Hong Kong's appeal court will announce Wednesday its ruling on the government's request to ban "Glory to Hong Kong," which emerged as a protest anthem during the 2019 democracy demonstrations.

Penned anonymously, it includes the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", and it has been all but illegal to sing or play it since authorities crushed the protests and Beijing imposed a national security law quelling dissent in 2020.

Yet the song has remained a thorn in the side of Hong Kong authorities as it has been mistakenly played as the city's official anthem, particularly at international sporting events.

Officials last June requested an injunction to ban "Glory to Hong Kong" but were refused by the High Court in a surprise ruling, which said it could have a "chilling effect" on innocent third parties.

The government appealed, kicking the request up to the Court of Appeal.

The court is set to announce its decision at 2:30 pm (0630 GMT).

If granted, the song would be the first to be banned in the former British colony since it was handed back to China in 1997.

Representing the government during an appeal hearing in December, lawyer Benjamin Yu argued that the song was akin to "misinformation and propaganda."

"The song is regarded by the composer himself as a weapon," Yu told the court at the time.

He added that the song was still "prevalent" and "remains highly effective in arousing emotions of the public."

Judges in December questioned during the hearing how the government's proposed order would affect internet service providers - mirroring concerns raised internationally about the free flow of information in Hong Kong.

Officials had demanded internet giants such as Google remove the protest song from their search results and video platforms, but were largely rebuffed.

Hong Kong's technology minister had said the injunction was partly meant to convince Google to delist "Glory to Hong Kong" from internet search results.

Hong Kong does not have its own anthem, and uses China's "March of the Volunteers."

Under Beijing's "one country, two systems" doctrine, Hong Kong is governed under its own judicial system separate from mainland courts.

After the protests were quashed and Beijing's national security law enacted, public dissent has largely been absent, and the bulk of pro-democracy activists and opposition politicians have either been arrested, silenced, or fled Hong Kong.

 -AFP