V For Vendetta Cake Withdrawn From Competition After Complaints

The Great British Bake-Off has clearly had an impact, in that stories like this exist. But a Birmingham-based cake decorating competition has entered the foray of international politics for the 5th of November.

A Hong Kong protest-themed cake, featuring the V For Vendetta Guy Fawkes mask as originally designed by David Lloyd, made famous (and merchandisable) by the movie, and adopted by Anonymous, has been disqualified by Cake International, the organisers of the event with the creators claiming  “political censorship”.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

今天，我們有人被捕，我們有人遠赴英國出賽被政治DQ。我們覺得不忿憤怒，但我們仍然會做自己，會上訴會爭取，即使最後結果不能盡如人意，但我們仍會用多一口氣告訴你，你錯了 #大會在沒有告知情況下把音樂關掉 #現附上完整連音樂的片段 One of our teammates joined the cake international show and got disqualified due to complaints from Chinese candidates, claiming that this cake contains offensive content by promoting independence of Hong Kong. #politicalcensorshipinUK #nec #cakeshows #cakeinternational2019 #thecakeshows2019 #cakeart #cakedecoration #cakedecorating 不要用一顶「港独」的帽子去抹杀了解事情的机会

A post shared by 3 r d S p a c e (@3rdspace_hk) on Nov 2, 2019 at 10:14am PDT

The competition which attracts international entrants included an entry by a baker from the 3rd Space cafe in Hong Kong. As well as the mask, it included tear gas and a Hong Kong protester in black wearing a yellow hard hat and holding an umbrella. A music box placed inside the cake also played “Glory to Hong Kong” on loop.

I mean that could have disqualified the cake for pure annoyance factor. Cake International has said it was because one element of the cake was oversized. But 3rd Space state that Cake International only decided to take action after it received numerous complaints from Chinese candidates, who said the cake featured offensive content and promoting the independence of Hong Kong.

First, the organisers turned the music off and then told the makers that the cake would be removed, later releasing a statement saying the cake was removed due to complaints, saying that some had threatened to damage the piece. But then clarified that the cake was separately disqualified as one of its elements – a fondant umbrella – had hung over the allowed area. “Oversized exhibits will be disqualified. This entry was not removed as a political statement.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

一位熱心既朋友不厭其煩去信大會，大會的回應卻令人更氣結… . 總結一下傳媒朋友及inbox的一些問題： 1）到底誰是baker? – @alicity_sugart 在3rd Space 當任廚娘好幾年了 2）有咩想講？大會覺得有另一理直氣壯既原因DQ，咁移離display area又如何說得過去？政治同民生本來就不可分割，尤其係一個物價非常貴既香港大家依家每兩三日就出黎一次，尤其係四個多月黎一次「公道」也未討回過，我們說的是生活不是政治。 3）點解認為係政治審查？ – 另一個香港參賽作品亦是有關香港的運動，整得好靚仲拎左獎，雖然無俾人投訴但一樣被移走（已經與創作者確認及得她同意去post）第三張圖是她的作品，希望大家都可以欣賞到。 . 很抱歉未能一一回應大家，但我地全部都有睇的，希望大家唔好動氣，因為佢地可能事實上根本接觸唔到咁多資訊。

A post shared by 3 r d S p a c e (@3rdspace_hk) on Nov 4, 2019 at 8:47am PST

How is the content and message of this cake offensive? Do mean Hong Kong’s fight for freedom and democracy is offensive? Do you mean the freedom of expression is offensive? Do you mean the mask from the film V for Vendetta, depicting an Orwellian UK, is offensive? Please explain. pic.twitter.com/RJsVX7yLPP

— Howie 😷 (@MinibusHowie) November 3, 2019

The post V For Vendetta Cake Withdrawn From Competition After Complaints appeared first on Bleeding Cool News And Rumors.