Since June last year the piazza has hosted 155 public activities without prior application to the police or mall management. The number peaked this June, with 22 assemblies marking the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

The most frequent visitor is an acrobat displaying a piece of cloth with the slogan 'Times Square pays back the money' while doing his show. Seventy-five singing, dancing, magic and drama shows have been among the colourful events held in the square.

Political and activist groups have used the space for 23 activities - protesting, electioneering, publicity seeking and fund-raising.

Yesterday, Slow Development Hong Kong organised 12 performing groups for a concert against the construction of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen-Guangzhou Express Rail Link.

With the Lane Crawford department store in the background, farmers from Choi Yuen Tsuen sang out in a plea to preserve their homes.

The protest included passers-by showing their support by placing vegetables on a mock-up of village farmland.

'There's no conflict between a mall and demonstrations,' said Rob Kloosterman, a 29-year-old tourist from the Netherlands, after putting celery on the soil.

Curious onlookers took photos and wondered what it was all about. Slow Development spokeswoman Wincy So Wing-sze said Times Square, with its fast-moving pace, was a good setting for people to consider whether society should slow down.

Student Frederick Fan Cheung-fung joined a hunger protest over the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in the piazza in June.

'A lot of people pass by there when going to and from work, so the effect was even better than we expected,' he said. 'Many stopped and joined us, with some observing silence for those who died and some putting flowers on the site. We collaborated with other groups that held activities there at the same time. We didn't obstruct anyone.'

Pressure group Local Action, which advocates the free use of open space, has also held several protests.

'The mall is a commercial place. It is a good place for activist groups to convey their messages to consumers,' member Chu Hoi-dick said.

Meanwhile, the management says it is hard to deal with so many unplanned events.

'We are in a difficult situation. We want some order at Times Square and we also want to balance the interests of different parties,' Times Square general manager Leng Yen Thean said.

A business executive close to The Wharf (Holdings), the owner of Times Square, said the company had called police to report a nuisance but had been told they would not intervene because it was private property. He is worried there could be strife when groups with different political views meet.

The prospect of clashes is high as the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China plans a demonstration in the piazza on National Day, while some Beijing-loyal groups are also considering having celebrations there.

'Police won't intervene unless hawking activities or crime actually happens,' he said. 'We don't think there is anything we can do. We have been very tolerant and patient. On some occasions we even offered these people water and electricity. We also clean up after, as they always leave a lot of rubbish behind.'

Both Fan and Chu said civil groups and the public should be allowed to use the piazza, as agreed in a deed between the government and The Wharf. The deed was signed in 1992 but the public did not know until last year that the piazza was for public use. The government has sued Times Square, alleging the company profited by charging exorbitant rents to users. In a High Court writ it said that for 15 years the company had been charging up to HK$124,000 a day.

But the business executive said the situation would not change, whatever the court decided. 'It is about money rather than the ownership or management of the piazza.'

A police spokesman said the force would send officers if there was a complaint, regardless of whether the venue was private or public.

'We take action whenever we find anyone committing an offence.'

Hive of activity

The piazza is popular with street performers and political activists

Since June last year it has hosted this number of activities without prior application: 155