Petition calls for removing Donnie Yen from Oscars over CCP remarks

An online petition calling for the cancellation of Hong Kong martial arts actor Donnie Yen's invitation as a presenter at this year's Oscars has gathered over 49,000 signatures in two days.

This came after Yen’s recent remarks during an interview with GQ magazine of which he described the 2019 protest in Hong Kong as a riot instead of a protest. He added that foreign media such as The BBC and CNN never mentioned the true side of the extradition bill. He also said that he was amazed at the modernisation brought to China and the progress such as the freeways, the architecture and the convenience of lifestyle. 

Titled “Cancel inviting an actor Donnie Yen as a presenter for the Oscars”, the petition was started by netizens who called themselves “a group of people from Hong Kong” on 4 March. The organisers of the petition said Yen is a supporter of the Chinese Communist regime and has made several remarks in support of the Chinese government's policies, including supporting the implementation of the National Security Law in Hong Kong and accusing Hong Kong protesters of being rioters. "These remarks not only violate the spirit of freedom of speech but also deny the rights of the people of Hong Kong to fight for their freedom and democracy," the statement read. 

The petition also said as a globally recognised film award, the Oscars should represent respect for human rights and moral values, rather than support for actions that violate them. "We strongly condemn this decision, which not only shows contempt for the people of Hong Kong but also provokes the global public. If the Oscars Committee continues to invite such a person as a guest presenter, it will damage the image and reputation of the film industry and cause serious harm to human rights and moral values," the statement said. The petition also requested the Oscars Committee to reconsider this decision and cancel the invitation of Yen as a presenter for the Oscars.

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A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw on the petition site that over 49,000 people have signed the petition. Some netizens said that Oscars should prevent Yen as a "CCP clown" from contaminating the show. Meanwhile, some said that they supported human right everywhere and Yen does not deserve to be invited.

The incident has generated a significant amount of media mentions and social media buzz, particularly among netizens located in Hong Kong and Mainland China, according to media intelligence firm CARMA.

CARMA's HK GM Charles Cheung said that upon further analysis of the social media mentions, there were a total of 24.3% negative mentions and 10.6% positive mentions, "The negative mentions were mainly driven by angry netizens who referred to Yen as a 'human rights abuser'. Many expressed disappointment as they had once regarded Yen as 'the strongest in the universe' and an icon in the martial arts genre," Cheung added. 

"Overall, the media mentions about Donnie Yen's invitation to the Oscars were polarised, with both positive and negative sentiments expressed among netizens. The controversy surrounding Yen's political stance and alleged involvement in the pro-Beijing camp is an ongoing issue that has sparked debates and discussions among people in Hong Kong and Mainland China," he said. 

Meanwhile, social monitoring firm Meltwater also saw a total of 2.51k mentions regarding the incident, with 26% negative sentiments and 12.5% positive sentiments, mostly generated from the US and Hong Kong. 

Yen is one of the 16 celebrities being invited to present an award at the Oscars on 12 March. Other presenters include Riz Ahmed, Emily Blunt, Glenn Close, Jennifer Connelly, Ariana DeBose, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, Troy Kotsur, Jonathan Majors, Melissa McCarthy, Janelle Monáe, Deepika Padukone, Questlove and Zoe Saldaña.

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