Disney removes ‘Simpsons’ episode with China ‘forced labor’ reference from Hong Kong

An episode of “The Simpsons” that refers to “forced labor” in China has been cut from Disney’s streaming service in Hong Kong, where a national security law has raised growing censorship concerns.

NBC News confirmed that the episode — “One Angry Lisa,” the second episode of the current season — was not available on the Hong Kong version of the Disney+ streaming service, but it was not clear when it had been removed.

The absence of the episode was first reported by The Financial Times.

In one scene of the episode, the character Marge Simpson is in a virtual bike class during which the instructor shows images of China’s Great Wall and says: “Behold the wonders of China: bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where children make smartphones.”

The Chinese government denies allegations of forced labor, as well as accusations that Hong Kong’s freedoms have eroded under the national security law, which Beijing imposed in 2020 and says was necessary to restore stability after months of anti-government protests.