The police implemented official crowd control measures on three consecutive days, between Sunday and Tuesday, across the city centre in response to the huge number of tourists visiting the area during the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday period.
Tuesday – the fifth day of the Chinese New Year – the crowd control measures started at 1:30 p.m. and ended at 6:45 p.m. The measures were implemented in Rua de S. Paulo, where pedestrians were required to walk in one direction only towards the Ruins of St Paul’s, but when leaving the landmark, they had to use other streets such as Calçada do Amparo and Rua de Nossa Senhora do Amparo.
The crowd control measures were implemented for the first time during the Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday in 2014, and since then the measures have been implemented every year, during major holiday periods including the National Day holiday.
Usually crowd control measures are implemented in Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (commonly known as San Ma Lou) and around the Ruins of St Paul’s.
The crowd control measures were not implemented in San Ma Lou Tuesday but had been on the previous two days.
On Sunday and Monday, the crowd control measures were implemented in Rua de S. Paulo and a section of San Ma Lou in the afternoon. Rua de S. Paulo – which has been pedestrianised for many years – was open in one direction only – towards the Ruins of St Paul’s.
Concerning crowd control measures in a section of San Ma Lou implemented in the afternoons of Sunday and Monday, three of the four pelican crossings at the junction of San Ma Lou and Avenida da Praia Grande were closed for use during the period. Vehicular access from San Ma Lou to Rua Central was temporarily suspended during the three-day period.
