Hong Kong is celebrating New Year's Eve without fireworks because of the ongoing protests. The tourism authority of the Chinese special administrative region announced that due to possible actions by the demonstrators, the city's fireworks will be avoided for security reasons.
Instead, a special New Year's version of the nightly light show is held. It is the first time in the ten-year history of fireworks that the spectacle in front of the skyline of the port city has been canceled. According to press reports, the police had expressed concern that they would not be able to maintain order in the event of protests on New Year's Eve.
Protest actions expected on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
The protests against the government, Beijing's influence and for more democracy, which had been going on for six months, had flared up again at Christmas. There were clashes between the police and demonstrators. Protests are also expected on New Year's Eve. A large demonstration is planned on New Year's Day.
While the fireworks in the former British Crown Colony have so far been a tourist attraction, the turn of the year in China is otherwise very quiet. New Year's Day is also a public holiday, but most Chinese don't celebrate New Year's Eve. Only in the cities do younger people tend to go out together. There are also parties in large hotels.
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The real celebration in China is only on January 25th, when the traditional Chinese lunar calendar heralds the start of the new year - this time the year of the rat. Fireworks are forbidden in many metropolitan areas of China for fire protection and security reasons, but there is a lot of popping in the countryside.