Hundreds of patriotic Hong Kong people gather at IFC in Central, Hong Kong on Thursday to sing the Chinese national anthem. photo: Cui Tianye/GT

Hundreds of Hong Kong residents gathered at IFC shopping mall in Central on Thursday noon to sing the Chinese national anthem to support a man who had been beaten by anti-government protesters Wednesday night. 

They organized and participated in a flash mob to sing the Chinese national anthem at 1 pm. "We love China, We Love Hong Kong!" one of the organizers said, noting that the activity aims to show HongKongers love peace, and to reject violence.

They also waved Chinese flags and cheered, "Add oil HK, Add oil China!" They also sang "Ode to the Motherland" and shouted, "Support Hong Kong police!"

This flash mob was initiated by Hong Kong residents, as some of them were outraged on Wednesday night after a man with three children being attacked by anti-government protesters at Amoy Plaza. 

Protesters have been chanting slogans and singing the so-called protest anthem "Glory of Hong Kong" at various shopping malls in recent days. When a man, who is also believed to be a local teacher, encountered some of them at Amoy Plaza on Wednesday night, he argued with them and sang the Chinese national anthem. Protesters then allegedly beat him up, stole his smartphone, and scared his children. 

Hundreds of patriotic Hong Kong people gather at IFC in Central, Hong Kong on Thursday to sing the Chinese national anthem. photo: Li Qiaoyi/GT

Online netizens in Hong Kong were outraged and spontaneously organized the flash mob. 

"This act (beating a man who sang national anthem) was inhuman," said a netizen on Chinese Twitter-like Weibo on Wednesday. "This father is a hero," another netizen said. 

A local resident surnamed Zheng told the Global Times she and her husband decided to join the activity as soon as she saw it in an online chat group. "I don't worry about those anti-government protesters who might take my photo and track me down online as I support patriotism," she said. 

As his husband works in the IT industry, Zheng said she worries about the current social turbulence in Hong Kong. "We may consider moving to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area if the tariffs in the region are lowered," she said.