Hong Kong shortens lantern display hours after festival crowds surge

Hong Kong tourism authorities shortened the opening hours of a lantern display at Victoria Park after large crowds gathered during Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, the South China Morning Post reports. The display, called the “World Lantern Boulevard”, is in Causeway Bay. Authorities acted after large numbers of visitors arrived, raising concerns about public safety and order.

At about 9pm on Friday, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said entry queues would be closed shortly because of the number of visitors and the need to protect safety and order. The statement was quoted by the South China Morning Post. The decision affected access to the lantern installations at the International Lantern Carnival, according to the available material.

It does not specify how many people were at the venue, how much earlier entry ended or when the display would resume normal hours. The report places the crowd surge in the context of Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. It does not mention injuries, arrests or other incidents connected with the gathering.

The shortened hours were presented as a crowd-management measure. The tourism board’s statement focused on controlling queues and maintaining safety and order, rather than announcing a cancellation of the display.