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Why you can trust SCMP
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Have you had any problems with public open space?

On January 12, I went to the ground-floor open area of Times Square, Causeway Bay, to conduct a 'Free Hugs' event with two friends.

At exactly 2pm I held up my 'Free Hugs' sign.

Within 10 seconds, even before I had hugged anyone, a security guard ran up to me and indicated that I had to stop.

I said: 'Why? I'm not selling anything and I'm not disturbing anyone.' But he insisted that I could not hold up my sign or hug anyone, and he pointed repeatedly at the ground, saying, 'Times Square, Times Square'. I took that to mean he was saying it was private property. He then pointed at me and pointed across the street, implying that if I wanted to hold up my sign and hug people, I had to move away from Times Square. So I did, and over the next two hours I hugged 50 wonderful people.

Now that I know that the open area of Times Square is indeed public space, I'll go back there with my sign one day soon and see what happens.

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