This year's Halloween in Shanghai is very different from the past. It was originally a festive atmosphere full of relaxation and humor, but it has become unusual due to the tightening of policy control. On October 26, like last year, some young people took to the streets in creative costumes in advance, trying to celebrate this globally popular festival in advance. However, the scenes on the streets showed a tension that was completely different from the festive atmosphere.

According to videos and posts circulating on social media, the Shanghai police have significantly strengthened their monitoring of Halloween costumes this year. On Julu Road in Xuhui District, which was once very lively, a video showed that a citizen was taken away by three police officers because of his costume. In addition, young people wearing imitation psychiatric hospital gowns were also asked by the police to take off their costumes. Some colleges and universities even issued reminders to students, asking them to avoid going to popular areas during Halloween, especially Julu Road, and to "be wary of the influence of foreign forces."

Not only public streets, bars in the city have also been told not to hold any Halloween activities. Taiwanese bar owner "Mai Gou" posted on the social platform that his bar received an official notice that Halloween-related costumes and celebrations were not allowed, otherwise it would face the risk of rectification or even closure.

Police deployed in advance, and the festive atmosphere on the streets decreased

Shanghai has already started large-scale control deployment on the 25th of this month. Many police forces have been sent to Julu Road, Changle Road, Huaihai Road, Fuxing Park and other places to check various festive costumes on the streets until the end of Halloween on the 31st. Netizens shared this information on the Internet. Some people said, "Don't go to Fuxing Park. The entire Huaihai Road area is under strict control." "This year's Halloween celebration on Julu Road is probably hopeless."

Although the official control makes some people feel lost, it does not seem to completely block the creativity of Shanghai youth. As in previous years, young people dress themselves in various humorous ways. Some imitate the "Statue of Liberty" and some wear ironic retro costumes. However, these creative costumes still cannot escape the eyes of control. The video shows that some citizens wearing weird costumes were taken away from the scene by police or security guards in Zhongshan Park. The lady dressed as the "Statue of Liberty" was also dispersed by security guards.

Young people's expression: the continuation of irony and humor

Young people in Shanghai seem to always be able to express themselves in a whimsical way, and last year's Halloween is a typical example. After the epidemic prevention and control measures were lifted, thousands of people in Shanghai took to the streets to celebrate the festival, which was both a celebration of Halloween and a catharsis for the lockdown life in the past year. Some people dressed up as "Lu Xun" and held a sign that said "Studying medicine can't save the Chinese people"; some people imitated surveillance cameras with the "1984" logo to express their dissatisfaction with ubiquitous supervision; and some people wore "Dabai" costumes, symbolizing the shadow of the past zero-clearance policy. These costumes are full of humor and irony, which have aroused widespread resonance and discussion.

With the changes in social economy in recent years, Chinese youth, especially those in big cities, are facing the pressure of high unemployment rates, which makes them more eager to release pressure during the festival. However, the Shanghai authorities seem to be highly sensitive to the social impact of such festival performances. This year's Halloween not only conflicts with traditional festival celebrations, but also coincides with the first anniversary of the sudden death of former Premier Li Keqiang in Shanghai, which also adds new sensitivity to the festival activities.

Zhongshan Park becomes a new gathering place

Due to the increasingly strict control of popular areas, many young people choose Zhongshan Park as a new gathering place. On the evening of October 26, Zhongshan Park was crowded with people, and even attracted more citizens to take pictures and watch. In the crowd, some people raised their mobile phones to record the woman dressed as the "Statue of Liberty", and some people shouted "Freedom", and the crowd echoed, the atmosphere was high, and the scene was full of festive enthusiasm. In the video, many people held umbrellas, not afraid of rain, and their enthusiasm was unabated. Young people danced, and girls dressed up as "ghosts" and walked slowly with the gloomy music. This lively scene shows young people's love for Halloween and their need to release expression.

However, this spontaneous gathering obviously attracted the attention of the authorities. That evening, the official issued an announcement stating that "due to internal adjustments in Zhongshan Park", the park would be closed from 2 pm on October 27 until the opening time is notified separately. Many people were puzzled by the sudden closure of Zhongshan Park, but they could only accept it helplessly.

Irony and ridicule in holiday celebrations

Even under strict control, young people in Shanghai still show rich imagination and creativity. They use Halloween costumes as a medium of expression to show humorous ridicule of life and reality. The special atmosphere of Halloween this year has made the city more reflective and controversial during the festival.