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Police warn of festival tragedy

Alison Smith

Police fear a proposed new venue for next year's Lunar New Year festivities could lead to disaster.

Urban Services Department officials were sent back to the drawing board yesterday after councillors also raised concerns about Morse Park in Wong Tai Sin as the venue for thousands of revellers celebrating Lunar New Year.

Police said the number of revellers would be swelled by the 170,000 worshippers who flock to nearby Wong Tai Sin Temple over the same period.

A small fire or scuffle would send crowds into a panic, a Wong Tai Sin police spokesman warned yesterday.

Slippery steps into and out of the site created the potential for disaster. 'It's the hazards we're worried about. In congregations of big crowds, people get panicked and there's a knock-on effect,' said the spokesman.

But councillors considering the plan at yesterday's recreation select committee accused police of objecting to festivals as they could not control crowds.

Councillor Fred Li Wah-ming said: 'There were concerns police are not doing their job, and are afraid of manpower problems so were objecting to the idea.' He said his main worry was an initial suggestion from the Architectural Services Department that 200 trees must be chopped down to make room for the anticipated 60,000 people. Officials have since said only 22 trees should go.

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