Top Hong Kong singer loses concert venue amid crackdown

HONG KONG (AP) — Popular Hong Kong singer and pro-democracy activist Denise Ho will not be allowed to perform at one of the city’s top theaters later this month, amid a crackdown by authorities on dissent in the city. Ho’s company, Goomusic, says the Hong Kong Arts Centre “arbitrarily” suspended its venue reservations for the singer’s popular concerts. The Hong Kong Arts Centre did not immediately comment. The cancellation came days after a pro-Beijing newspaper accused the singer of being “anti-China” because she participated in widespread anti-government protests in 2019. Hong Kong’s cultural scene was known in the past for its freedom of expression, but Beijing authorities have tightened their control over the city.