【社評雙語道】逐步復常盛事頻繁 安全必須萬無一失
【原文】下文摘錄自10月31日香港《文匯報》︰
韓國首爾梨泰院迎接萬聖節的活動發生人踩人事故，造成超過150人死亡的慘劇，當中包括中國公民4死2傷，令世人震驚痛心。本港在疫情趨緩後即將舉辦連場大型活動，萬聖節、聖誕節等節慶接踵而來，首爾慘劇也對我們敲響警號，政府和活動主辦機構要始終堅守安全至上、人命至上原則，對大量人群聚集的活動必須設置嚴格的人流管理措施，配備足夠的警力維持秩序；同時，廣大市民參與大型活動必須高度注意安全， 以免樂極生悲。
首爾的人踩人事故，教訓非常深刻。現場沒有控制人數，人流完全失控，在只有四米闊的狹窄斜路上，據報有大量人群聚集，嚴重超出道路容納極限。現場人群情緒高漲，玩得不亦樂乎，完全失去安全意識。有目擊者指，有人突然向前推引起「骨牌效應」，出現人疊人釀成慘劇。 對於人群超乎尋常聚集，當地警方事前沒有足夠風險意識和評估，沒有增派更多人手控制場面，當人群情緒失控，踩踏一發不可收拾。這無疑是慘劇發生的最重要原因。
首爾慘劇的原因和教訓，當然要當地政府去查找、檢討，但巨大人命傷亡敲響的警鐘，全世界都應該聽到。本港1993年1月1日曾在中環蘭桂坊發生人踩人慘劇，港人記憶猶新。此次首爾慘劇，港人感同身受，向韓國人民表達沉痛之情、致以誠摯慰問外，香港各界更應汲取教訓，引以為戒，嚴防類似慘劇在港重演。
隨着疫情逐漸穩定，特區政府陸續放寬社交距離措施；美食嘉年華已開幕，一大早已吸引逾百人在場外排隊輪候爭頭位，氣氛非常熾熱；食肆酒吧11月3日起不限時間經營， 「消夜文化」重臨；近日瀰漫濃郁的萬聖節氣氛，蘭桂坊、尖沙咀等地每晚都有大批人群聚集歡慶。長期防疫限制後大「鬆綁」，特區政府、警方要對部分市民可能樂極忘形的懈怠心理有充分評估，高度重視各類聚集活動可能的風險，做足萬全準備。
首先是要做好人流管制。本港在蘭桂坊慘劇後，每次大型活動或節日慶典，都會採取人流管制，包括潮水式管控和單向前進，限制每個區域同一時段不能湧進太多人。過去二三十年，本港保持了良好的大型活動安全紀錄，但首爾人踩人慘劇再次提醒，安全問題還是要把情況想到最壞，措施寧緊勿鬆。其次，要隨時做好大型活動的現場情緒管理，對於因為飲酒等原因出現的失控場面，場所管理者有必要及時勸導制止，警方在必要時要果斷介入。再次，要加強執法確保商戶遵紀守法。今次首爾慘劇，有報道指有酒吧給顧客派發含有毒品的糖果，可能是導致人群失控的原因之一。這也提醒警方，必須嚴打任何涉及毒品、非法藥品等違法的行為，要求商戶切勿以身試法。
本港大部分行業和處所已回復正常營業，年底佳節和盛事眾多，七人欖球賽都會吸引大批人群聚集。尤其要注意的是，疫情令很多市民在過去近三年沒有機會歡度佳節，今年逐步復常，參與佳節活動的市民可能特別多、特別興奮，特區政府、警方要額外提升應對級別，保障活動安全。另外，本港實施「0+3」入境檢疫措施後，到海外旅遊和出席活動的市民大幅增加，市民在海外出席慶祝活動時，也要提高安全意識，提前規劃好各種危機應對措施，遇到人流過多應該果斷避開。
市民想在佳節參與慶祝活動，心情可以理解，但歡度節日要安全至上、生命至上。大家不要忘記，一是疫情風險並未遠離，市民參與慶祝活動仍然要謹守防疫措施，以免疫情大幅反彈；二是確保安全是慶祝活動最重要事項，切勿樂極生悲。
Safety must be fully ensured in festivity surge
【譯文】A deadly Halloween crowd crush in the Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul, Korea claimed more than 150 lives. The tragedy, which killed four Chinese nationals and injured two, has shocked and saddened the world, and sounded the alarm for Hong Kong which, as the pandemic subsides, will soon host a series of large-scale events and have such festivities as Halloween and Christmas. The HK government and event organisers should always give the highest priority to safety and human life, and ensure strict crowd management measures in place for events with large numbers of people gathering and sufficient police manpower deployed to maintain order; the general public, in the meantime, must pay special attention to safety when participating in such events, so as to prevent the great pleasure from turning to sorrow.
A profound lesson can be drawn from the Seoul crowd crush tragedy. There was no control on the number of people or the flow of crowd, and a massive crowd flooded on a sloping alley of only 4 meters wide, seriously exceeding the capacity of the road. The high-spirited revellers lost all sense of safety. According to some witnesses, a sudden push forward caused a "domino effect", resulting in the tragic avalanche of bodies. Without sufficient risk awareness or assessment of the unusual gathering of people, the police failed to deploy more manpower to control the crowd, which undoubtedly was the most important reason for the tragedy; therefore, the crush was inevitable when the scene went chaotic.
Of course, the causes of the Seoul tragedy should be identified and reviewed and its lessons be learnt by the local government, but the alarm sounded by the huge loss of human lives should be heard by the whole world. The tragedy stirred memories of Hong Kong people, a similar incident in Lan Kwai Fong, Central in 1993, and they felt a poignant empathy. In addition to expressing our deep sadness and sincere condolences, all sectors in Hong Kong should learn a lesson from the tragedy and take it as a warning to prevent similar tragedies from happening again in Hong Kong.
As the pandemic subsides gradually, the Government has relaxed the social distancing measures one after another. The Hong Kong Food Carnival has opened, attracting more than 100 people queuing up outside early in the morning to be the first to enter the venue, full of charged atmosphere; restaurants and bars are allowed to stay open all night from 3 November, reviving "the culture of late-night meals"; and rich Halloween atmosphere has filled Hong Kong, bringing crowds to gather in areas of Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui nightly to celebrate. With the major relaxation of restrictions after a long period of pandemic prevention, the Government and the police should fully assess the possible remissness of some overjoyed citizens, seriously evaluate the possible risks of various gathering activities, and get fully prepared.
First of all, the crowd flow should be properly managed and controlled. Ever since the Lan Kwai Fong tragedy, crowd management measures, including tidal movement and unidirectional flow of crowd, have been adopted for every major event or festive celebrations to restrict the influx of too many people into one area within certain period. While Hong Kong has maintained a good safety record for large-scale events over the past 20 to 30 years, the Seoul tragedy has once again reminded us that we should always prepare for the worst and safety measures can never be too strict. Secondly, emotions of the crowd at large-scale events should be well managed at all times. Whenever a scene gets out of hand due to issues like drinking, venue managers need to timely get it back to control by persuasion and exhortation, and the police should intervene decisively when necessary. Thirdly, enforcement should be stepped up to ensure that businesses comply with the law. In the Seoul tragedy, it was reported that some bars handed out candies containing drugs to customers, which may have contributed to the uncontrolled crowd. This also reminds the police of the need to clamp down on any illegal acts involving drugs and illegal medicines, and to urge all businesses never to defy the law.
Most businesses and premises in Hong Kong have returned to normal operations and festivals and events, such as the Hong Kong Sevens attracting large crowds, will fill the end of the year. It deserves special attention that many people have not had the opportunity to celebrate the festive season in the past three years due to the pandemic, and when they can this year, they will gather in particularly high number and feel exceptionally excited. The Government and the police should escalate their response level to ensure the safety. In addition, the number of people travelling abroad or attending overseas events has increased significantly following the introduction of "0 + 3" quarantine arrangements. When celebrating overseas, they should raise their safety awareness, plan ahead well to cope with various crises, and purposefully avoid excessive crowd gathering.
While it is understandable for people to celebrate during the festive season, safety and life should be put above all else. We should all bear in mind that the risk of the pandemic is not far away and all pandemic prevention measures should be strictly followed to avoid a major rebound in infections, and that safety is always the most important in festivities.◆ Kevin Cheung (CUSCS Lecturer)
