TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A dystopian political action film is said to have been removed from the shelves of China’s major online video platforms over alleged anti-government themes.
“V for Vendetta,” a 2005 movie set in a futuristic United Kingdom ruled by a fascist government, revolves around the anarchist “V” who employs terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors.
Talk of the movie has been heated on Chinese social media Weibo recently, with netizens complaining about the film being pulled from streaming services like iQiyi, Tencent Video, Sohu, Douban, and Maoyan, reported Liberty Times.
Most of the comments about the movie’s disappearance have since been deleted by Beijing’s censorship apparatus, but some remain. One upset Chinese resident questioned the rationale behind the ban, saying “What is it that they fear about a movie that portrays an uprising against a totalitarian government by an oppressed people?”
In 2012, "V for Vendetta" was aired on Channel 6 of China Central Television (CCTV). The fact that it was broadcast by a Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece caused quite a stir in the online community, with some interpreting it as a signal by the regime about possible reforms to come, wrote Newtalk.
The Guy Fawkes mask worn by V has been used as a symbol of defiance in protests worldwide over the years, and it was an element that permeated the anti-extradition protests that took hold of Hong Kong.
