Liu Yifei: Mulan boycott urged after star backs HK police

The hashtag #BoycottMulan began gaining traction on Twitter after Liu Yifei's post

Disney's live-action remake of the animated film Mulan is facing calls for a boycott, after its star voiced support for Hong Kong's police force.

Chinese actress Liu Yifei, a naturalised US citizen, reposted a viral pro-police comment on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

The territory has been convulsed by sometimes violent pro-democracy protests over the past 10 weeks.

Rights groups and the UN have accused the police of a heavy handed response.

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Ms Liu had shared a Weibo post from the government-run Beijing newspaper People's Daily that read (in Chinese): "I also support Hong Kong police. You can beat me up now."

The post adds in English: "What a shame for Hong Kong."

The film is a remake of the 1998 animation

The quote referred to what are said to be the words of a reporter for the state newspaper Global Times, who was attacked by protesters at Hong Kong's airport earlier this week after being accused of being an undercover police agent.

Ms Liu shared the post and echoed the comment by saying: "I also support Hong Kong police."

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She received widespread support on the platform, which is subject to censorship.

But on Twitter, which is banned in China, the hashtag #BoycottMulan began gaining traction.

Twitter users accused the actress of supporting police brutality, and also pointed to the freedoms she enjoys as an American citizen.

The protests in Hong Kong began over a draft bill that would have allowed extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China.

The bill has since been shelved, but the protests have now broadened into a wider pro-democracy movement and demands for an inquiry into alleged police brutality.