The pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand are looking to leverage their fight against China by boycotting Disney's live-action remake of Mulan.
The controversy was sparked when the film's lead actress Liu Yifei showed support for the Hong Kong police and condemned the region's protesters via the Chinese social media site Weibo in August 2019.
"I also support Hong Kong police. You can beat me up now," the Chinese actress wrote. "What a shame for Hong Kong."
Her message came as Hong Kong citizens were protesting the mainland's rule of the region. Her post was directly in response to a mainland Chinese journalist being attacked by protesters in a Hong Kong airport. Yifei's open support for the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong police created a wave of backlash from pro-democracy activists who have consistently accused the authorities of police brutality.
Yifei's Mulan co-star was also criticized for celebrating the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China after British colonial rule in July. As a result, pro-democracy activists and Hong Kong sympathizers have started the "#BoycottMulan" campaign that is taking over social media.
The #BoycottMulan movement has now part of the #MilkTeaAlliance. This alliance unites activists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand who are all seeking democratic sovereignty from the People's Republic.
Mulan was released via Disney+ on Friday. The film is a live-action remake of the 1998 animated movie of the same name. The move is set to be one of the streaming service's biggest releases since the coronavirus brought the film industry to a halt.
