On October 31, 2026, the CCP authorities banned young people from dressing up as the Big White (a character from a popular Chinese animated film) on Halloween, forcing them to remove their protective suits on the spot. (Video screenshot)
[People News] Halloween is traditionally a festive occasion for entertainment and spooky costumes. However, in China, major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Xi'an have witnessed severe street control and arrest operations.
In Beijing, shortly after the conclusion of the CCP's Fifth Plenary Session, the party did not focus on addressing the ongoing economic downturn but instead emphasised 'continuing strict governance of the party,' which disappointed many citizens on the mainland. In this context, the approach of Halloween has raised fears within the CCP that angry citizens might seize the opportunity to publicly express anti-communist sentiments. Consequently, police forces across the country have been mobilised, deploying large numbers of officers and police vehicles to crowded areas, forcibly detaining individuals deemed a threat by law enforcement.
Police on high alert
Videos shared by netizens show that on Halloween night, cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Xi'an saw young people dressed up and taking to the streets, with bustling crowds and a dazzling array of cosplayers. Meanwhile, police were on high alert, with police cars lining the streets.
Reports from various media outlets and social networks indicate that this year's crackdown on Halloween by the CCP has displayed the following characteristics:
• Police in cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Xi'an have been fully deployed, with police cars densely stationed on the streets and stationed along the roads.
• Online platforms have restricted searches for keywords and entries related to Halloween.
• Some campuses have issued notices strictly prohibiting students from celebrating 'Western festivals'.
Prohibition of Political Satire
Halloween is characterised by revelry and inversion. In recent years, young people in China have cleverly taken advantage of the opportunity for 'role-playing during festivities' to create numerous costumes rich in political and social satire.
Online videos reveal that this year in Defu Alley, Xi'an, an individual dressed as an epidemic prevention worker, referred to as 'Dabai', raised a nucleic acid testing stick towards passersby, who cooperatively lifted their phones to indicate they were scanning through.
Before long, this 'Dabai' was surrounded by several police officers and forced to remove their protective suit on the spot. The presence of 'Dabai' stirred painful memories among the public of three years of harsh zero-COVID lockdowns. Even more distressing is that the leader who personally enforced the zero-COVID policy, weighing 200 pounds, remains in that position and has not taken any responsibility for the significant loss of life and property caused by his misguided policies.
Some individuals dressed as unemployed youth with slogans like 'Education is just waste paper', highlighting the tragic plight of over ten million college students each year who, after a decade of hard study, find themselves unable to afford even a meal.
Others portrayed the plummeting A4 stock K-line chart, expressing the grievances of retail investors who feel wronged as they continuously lose their wealth in a stock market that resembles a casino. There were also those who dressed as 'corporate slaves' crushed by the pressures of life, among others.
On October 31, 2026, Halloween, some individuals dressed as victims of the stock market. (Video screenshot)
Shanghai Roars: Release Them
Videos show that many of the costumed individuals were taken away by the police.
In Hangzhou, a person dressed as 'Ultraman' was taken away by the police, while in Tianjin, another individual dressed as Trump was also questioned by law enforcement.
At Jing'an Temple in Shanghai, two women in costumes were apprehended by the police, prompting the surrounding crowd to surround the police car and shout 'Release them!'
On the streets of Fuzhou, someone dressed as the American 'Statue of Liberty' expressed a longing for freedom, which resonated with many citizens who gathered to watch and film the scene.
In Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong, some individuals imitated Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's appearance upon her return to China, wearing electronic shackles on their feet.
Others donned 'fish heads' and held signs reading 'Boundary', mocking the quality concerns surrounding Huawei's new energy electric vehicles.
Netizens remarked, 'As soon as these two costumes appeared, the satire was fully loaded.'
Additionally, many overseas Chinese took the opportunity of Halloween, known as the Western Ghost Festival, to bid farewell to the Chinese Communist Party and its leaders.
Videos on platform X showed that in New York, USA, several Chinese individuals carried the 'portrait' and 'coffin' of CCP leader Xi Jinping through the streets; in Los Angeles, protesters displayed banners against the CCP, voicing their dissatisfaction with the regime.
In response, some mainland netizens who managed to bypass the Great Firewall commented, 'Arresting people and fining them means the government is profiting', 'If celebrating Halloween leads to accusations of not being Chinese, then what about cars, aeroplanes, and computers? Those weren't invented by Chinese either; should we stop using them?' 'The Communist Party also originated from abroad to China!'
In Hong Kong during Halloween, the streets are bustling with young people from the mainland. Some mainlanders even dress up as the Statue of Liberty, emphasising the importance of freedom of body and mind. Halloween has become an opportunity for some to express themselves humorously, rather than just a time for celebration. Unfortunately, this is a country that could generate 1.4 billion new ideas, yet it remains silenced. Resisting without thought will only narrow their options further. A leader weighing 200 pounds is extremely fearful of crowds gathering and dressing up! How insecure can a leader be? It's foolish.
The authorities are grappling with the aftereffects of the White Paper Movement.
Commentators have noted that with the upcoming 21st National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the overall political climate has entered a high-pressure 'quasi-martial law' state.
The authorities are deeply afraid of crowds gathering and are even more concerned that festive celebrations could transform into genuine 'citizen expression' and collective voices.
In an authoritarian regime, threats and fear are fundamental to maintaining control. When young people start to mock power and ridicule the bureaucratic system through humour, absurdity, and deconstruction, the threat posed by authoritarianism can quickly crumble. The Communist Party fears violent resistance from the public even more, and is particularly anxious that 'power is no longer respected.'
Totalitarian governments remain highly vigilant against any unofficial organisations and spontaneous large-scale gatherings. The 'White Paper Movement' that erupted at the end of 2022 was sparked by spontaneous gatherings in locations such as Urumqi Middle Road in Shanghai.
The Halloween street carnival lacks a clear organiser, relying solely on the implicit understanding among young people and the spread of information via social media. For the authorities, this 'decentralised' gathering poses significant challenges to control—while participants may come together to enjoy themselves today, tomorrow, fueled by collective emotions, it could easily transform into political speeches or protests.
When a regime lacks legitimate authority and open channels for communication, its leaders become engulfed in a state of 'extreme suspicion.' They struggle to differentiate whether a group of young people on the street is simply having fun or preparing for the next 'White Paper Movement.' To ensure complete safety, the most cautious bureaucratic approach is to adopt a 'better to mistakenly detain than to overlook' mentality. Stifling potential unrest at its inception (for instance, by restricting access to certain neighbourhoods, controlling crowd sizes, and dispersing focal points) reflects the authorities' commitment to a 'preventive' stability strategy.
When a government perceives even 'joy' as a threat, it has effectively positioned itself in opposition to society as a whole.
(First published by People News)△
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