Police crack down on Halloween celebrations in China

Oct 30

Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

Halloween celebrations are a relatively new phenomenon in China, but authorities in several major cities reportedly cracked down on public costume events this year. Officials expressed concerns that participants might use their outfits to send subtle messages of dissent toward the government.

Under President Xi Jinping, China’s cultural environment has been tightly controlled, with Western holidays like Halloween facing increased scrutiny. Authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions on cultural expression and political dissent, remaining particularly cautious about ideas that could undermine loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.

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In 2023, young people in Shanghai and other cities embraced Halloween with costumes that hinted at frustrations over COVID-19 restrictions, including hazmat suits and security camera-inspired outfits.

This year, however, the atmosphere was quieter, though police maintained a noticeable presence. In downtown Shanghai, officers lined the streets, checked IDs, and, in some cases, instructed individuals to change out of their costumes. In other cities like Hangzhou, police dispersed crowds, reportedly in response to noise complaints.

Despite these restrictions, Halloween continues to serve as a rare outlet for young Chinese to express themselves through costumes, often with a clever, symbolic twist. This year’s costumes focused less on political themes, incorporating references to historical figures, Chinese folklore, and popular memes, such as Huawei’s tri-fold smartphone.

However, costumes with lighthearted themes occasionally drew police attention.

Attendees noted the unpredictability of police actions, with officers making on-the-spot judgments regarding certain costumes. In one instance, a bar owner reported that authorities advised against hosting Halloween parties entirely.

Shanghai, often seen as a hub of cultural openness in China, has found its Halloween celebrations revealing ongoing tensions between the desire for self-expression and government control.

For some young people, Halloween represents one of the last opportunities for “revenge entertainment,” a chance to break free, if briefly, from the constraints of daily life under government oversight.

Tags: China, Halloween, Shanghai

Jack Aylmer

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS ARE RELATIVELY NEW IN CHINA.

BUT PUBIC EVENTS MEANT FOR WEARING COSTUMES ARE REPORTEDLY GETTING A CRACKDOWN FROM THE POLICE IN SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES.

THAT’S BECAUSE REPORTEDLY, THERE ARE CONCERNS THE PUBLIC WILL USE THEIR OUTFITS TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT.

UNDER PRESIDENT XI JIN-PING, CHINA’S CULTURAL SCENE IS TIGHTLY CONTROLLED, WITH “WESTERN” HOLIDAYS LIKE HALLOWEEN DRAWING EXTRA SCRUTINY.

AUTHORITIES HAVE IMPOSED SWEEPING LIMITS ON CULTURAL EXPRESSION AND POLITICAL DISSENT, AND THEY’RE ESPECIALLY WARY OF IDEAS THAT COULD THREATEN LOYALTY TO THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.

LAST YEAR, YOUNG PEOPLE IN SHANGHAI AND OTHER CITIES CELEBRATED WITH BOLD, CHEEKY COSTUMES THAT HINTED AT FRUSTRATIONS OVER COVID-19 RESTRICTRICTIONS–THINK HAZMAT SUITS AND SECURITY CAMERAS.

THIS YEAR, THE SCENE IS QUIETER, BUT A POLICE PRESENCE IS STRONG. OFFICERS HAVE LINED STREETS IN DOWNTOWN SHANGHAI, CHECKING IDS, AND IN SOME CASES, ASKING PEOPLE TO CHANGE OUT OF THEIR COSTUMES.

AND IN OTHER CITIES, LIKE HANGZHOU, POLICE MOVED IN TO DISPERSE CROWDS, CLAIMING IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO NOISE COMPLAINTS.

DESPITE THE CRACKDOWNS, HALLOWEEN REMAINS A RARE OUTLET FOR CHINA’S YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO USE COSTUMES TO EMBRACE SELF-EXPRESSION, OFTEN WITH A CLEVER TWIST.

THIS YEAR’S COSTUMES ARE LESS POLITICAL, WITH NODS TO HISTORICAL FIGURES, CHINESE FOLKLORE, AND EVEN MEMES, LIKE HUAWEI’S TRI-FOLD SMARTPHONE.

BUT FOR SOME, EVEN LIGHTHEARTED THEMES ARE MET WITH POLICE QUESTIONING.

ATTENDEES SAY IT’S HARD TO PREDICT WHO WILL BE TARGETED, AS POLICE SEEM TO MAKE ON-THE-SPOT JUDGMENTS ABOUT CERTAIN COSTUMES. ONE BAR OWNER REPORTED THAT AUTHORITIES INSTRUCTED THE VENUE TO AVOID HOSTING HALLOWEEN PARTIES ALTOGETHER.

AND WHILE SHANGHAI IS KNOWN FOR ITS CULTURAL OPENNESS, THE HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED ONGOING TENSIONS IN CHINA — A CLASH BETWEEN THE DESIRE FOR SELF-EXPRESSION AND THE GOVERNMENT’S PUSH FOR CONTROL.

SOME YOUNG PEOPLE SAY HALLOWEEN HAS BECOME ONE OF THE LAST AVENUES FOR “REVENGE ENTERTAINMENT,” A WAY TO LET LOOSE IN THE FACE OF CONSTANT RESTRICTIONS.

FOR SAN, I’M JACK AYLMER