Sydney's renowned annual light show, Vivid Sydney, experienced significant crowd control challenges last night as thousands of spectators gathered along the harbour foreshore to witness the highly anticipated drone display. The event, which took place at Circular Quay, drew massive crowds around 9:10 PM for the "Love is in the Air" drone show. This spectacular display featured 700 drones creating various symbols of love, such as hearts, cupid's arrows, and flowers, over the harbour.
Despite the visual marvel, the event faced criticism due to inadequate crowd management. Attendees reported being trapped in dense crowds, prompting police to dismantle surrounding barriers to alleviate the situation. The crowd size was comparable to that of New Year's Eve celebrations, further intensified by the long weekend.
The police mounted unit was deployed, and an ambulance was present as people attempted to move from the overseas passenger terminal to Wynyard Station. Many spectators shared their experiences with 9News, describing the overwhelming number of people.
"We came down from Argyle Street, and there was just a massive crowd. We were like, 'Oh my God, I've never seen this many people in The Rocks,'" one woman recounted. "There were heaps of people pushing through, and people with prams and trolleys."
Organizers of Vivid Sydney have yet to comment on the incident. However, the festival's lack of effective crowd control measures has raised concerns about safety and logistics for future events.
