Shanghai police cracked down on Halloween celebrations over the weekend in an effort to prevent political satire costumes from circulating in China’s most international city. Last year, Halloween revellers in Shanghai donned costumes that mocked various aspects of Chinese society, including the stock market, youth unemployment, and COVID-19 policies.
Authorities were seen patrolling downtown streets to ensure that this type of political satire would not be repeated this year. The crackdown on Halloween costumes reflects the Chinese government’s sensitivity to any form of political dissent or criticism.
The strict measures taken by the Shanghai police highlight the tight control that the Chinese government maintains over public expression and the need to maintain social stability. The crackdown on Halloween celebrations serves as a reminder of the limits of freedom of expression in China, particularly when it comes to political satire and criticism.
As Halloween celebrations continue to grow in popularity in China, it is likely that authorities will continue to closely monitor and enforce regulations to prevent any form of political dissent from being expressed through costumes and other forms of public expression.
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Video “Shanghai police crack down on Halloween costumes over political satire fears • FRANCE 24 English” was uploaded on 10/28/2024 to Youtube Channel FRANCE 24 English