With huge crowds expected in Orchard Road over the festive season, public safety cannot be taken for granted, say police

Very large crowds are expected in Orchard Road during the year-end festivities, and public safety cannot be taken for granted, the police said on Saturday.

So they recommended to the National Arts Council (NAC) that it restrict busking activities at selected locations when crowds peak.

“The Korean Itaewon incident is a reminder that public safety cannot be taken for granted,” police told The Sunday Times.

“Appropriate crowd control measures must be put in place. We must not compromise on public safety, and we hope for the understanding and cooperation of all stakeholders participating in, or involved in the organisation of, the year-end festivities.”

On Oct 29, a deadly Halloween crush in Seoul’s clubbing district of Itaewon claimed the lives of more than 150 revellers.

Buskers had expressed their dismay after they were told by the NAC that they would not be allowed to perform outside seven Orchard Road malls on selected dates in December, including Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The busking ban will apply from 7pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays outside these malls: Ion Orchard, Wisma Atria, Ngee Ann City, The Heeren, 313 @ Somerset, Knightsbridge and Mandarin Gallery.

Citing public safety concerns and advisories from relevant agencies, the NAC said in a Nov 14 e-mail sent to a busker and seen by ST: “As we approach the year-end festivities, there is anticipation of larger crowds around Orchard Road, especially on the dates leading up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve.”

Security experts The Straits Times approached said concerns over public safety in large crowds could have been raised in the aftermath of the Itaewon tragedy.

Singapore University of Technology and Design Assistant Professor Jeffrey Chan said the tragedy in South Korea, as well as an expected higher number of shoppers due to relaxed Covid-19 measures, could have led to the increased emphasis on public safety.

He noted that in Orchard Road, passageways connecting malls can become bottlenecks when footfall is high. 

He said: “The public should increase their awareness of these risk factors and then make responsible decisions for themselves. It really takes all parties to make responsible decisions for a safe and dense urban environment like ours.”

Said Mr John Vijayan Vasavan, director of Weavepact Security Services and immediate past president of the Association of Certified Security Agencies: “(The authorities) have to think of every possible scenario which can occur. Someone can accidentally fall. A brawl may break out if people are jostling. If the weather worsens, everyone would scramble for shelter.”

However, the Buskers’ Association said buskers add to the festive atmosphere along Singapore’s prime shopping belt. In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, the association said it was disheartened by the ban and called on the NAC – which oversees the licensing of buskers in Singapore – to reverse its decision.

The association said it had always worked with the security management of Orchard Road malls to ensure a safe distance between the performers and audience during periods of higher human traffic.

The ban would likely hurt buskers as they rely significantly on earnings from the increased footfall in December, the association added. 

Busker Jeremy Chin, 24, believes his earnings will fall by about 75 per cent in December because of the ban.

Mr Jeremy Han, who busks twice a week in Orchard Road, said that before Covid-19, he was able to earn up to $10,000 in December as shoppers were more willing to spend during the festive season.

“I don’t think a ban is fair, given how we were not consulted and did not have an opportunity to provide feedback before it was announced," said the 33-year-old wedding singer.

“But I understand why the authorities are considering implementing safety precautions. Perhaps they can cordon off the performance area instead so that passers-by will not crowd around if they see that it is already full.”

 

In their statement, the police said that before the Covid-19 pandemic, Orchard Road would be very crowded with Christmas display pieces and pop-up booths.

“The presence of buskers and ice-cream sellers caused pedestrians to stop and crowd around those points, which further reduced the passable space on the footpaths and further impeded the flow of people,” said the police.

This year, the police said barricades and officers will be deployed and public notifications will also be sent when certain areas are closed off to prevent overcrowding.

 “(We) are working with the Orchard Road Business Association to put in more crowd control measures along the entire stretch of Orchard Road to keep Singaporean and foreign visitors safe," they said.

“We are grateful that NAC had appreciated these crowd concerns and worked with us. The police and NAC will be engaging affected stakeholders.”