Memorial held for victims of Shanghai’s New Year stampede A solemn memorial service has been held at #Shanghai’s famed waterfront, a week after a #stampede killed at least 36 people and injured 49 others during #NewYear’s Eve celebrations. Friends and relatives of the victims attended the service at Chen Yi Square on Tuesday morning. This was the site where people had been trampled to death at about 23:35 on December 31, after a huge crowd had gathered to celebrate and enjoy the light show. Tuesday was the seventh day after the deaths, which holds a special significance in the mourning period as per Chinese tradition. Relatives of the victims laid flowers, burned candles and threw ceremonial paper money amid tight security. They were seen being escorted into the mourning zone by security staff dressed in plain clothes. Some shattered family members were even carried away from the site by medical workers. As soon as the relatives left, sanitation workers quickly cleared the flowers and candles. The victims of last week’s tragedy were mostly college students and graduates in their 20s. The youngest of those killed was a 12-year-old boy. The city authorities have not yet briefed the media with regard to what caused the tragedy. All that they’ve said so far is that a bitter lesson has been learnt. Meanwhile, there has been growing criticism against local authorities, with people accusing them of failing to manage and control the crowds at the riverfront Bund. According to a statement by an officer a day after the incident, the police did not have large presence at the Bund, as there was no formal New Year’s event planned. Since the tragedy, most outdoor shows in the city have been canceled.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 02:58:52 +0000
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