Halloween crackdown in Shanghai as Chinese police arrest people in costume

Police in Shanghai have been targeting Halloween celebrations, seemingly due to costumes considered politically sensitive.

At least half a dozen people in costumes in the city’s Zhongshan Park were seen being led away by officers on Friday night.

Although there has been no official notice banning Halloween, local officials appear to be trying to prevent a repeat of last year.

Then China’s financial capital saw some people dressed up in hazmat suits linked to COVID-19 and other outift related to social and economic issues

Others wore costumes made of blank sheets of paper, a reference to rare mass demonstrations in late 2022 in Shanghai and other Chinese cities against the country’s handling of the pandemic.

This year, in the days leading up to Halloween on 31 October, police in Shanghai set up barriers on Julu Road and nearby roads.

Officials appear to be deterring partygoers from gathering, but some locals posted on X that police were not imposing a ban but attempting to control crowds in the area.

Others pointed out that Halloween events had taken place elsewhere in Shanghai.

Halloween-related activities appeared to go ahead as planned at Shanghai Disneyland and another theme park, Happy Valley.

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But Zhongshan Park, where online videos showed celebrations in recent days, said it would close on Sunday afternoon without giving a reason or saying when it would reopen.

Jinjiang Action Park in Shanghai said on Sunday that to ensure a “safe and orderly experience for visitors” it would not admit anyone in costumes during its “Magic Fantasy Festival”, which appears to celebrate the Halloween season.

The park had previously encouraged visitors to wear “colourful” makeup and “exquisite, unique” clothing for the event.

On Saturday, news of the crackdown was a trending topic on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo.

But by Monday, discussion appeared to have been suppressed by online censors.