Portland Night Market—from red-light to green-light

“Mong Kok” and “Chinese New Year” are two sensitive keywords since the “Fishball Revolution” happened in 2016. Three years passed, Portland Street, which was one of the starting points of the conflicts, became a well-known attraction during Chinese New Year.

Apart from this political incident, it was the first Chinese New Year after the Mong Kok pedestrian zone closed. Having one outlet being eliminated, hawkers and walkers crammed to a near substitute—Portland Street.

Portland Street, which is also known as the unofficial red-light district of Hong Kong, attracted over 50 hawkers and tones of Hong Kong people. During the Lunar Holiday, Portland Street are unofficially authorized for hawkers. Polices turned a blind eye to it. Or in other words, gave a green light to this night market.

Turning the red-light to green-light, different color of Portland Street was reflected.

In Lunar new year of 2016, the “Fishball Revolution” happened because of the hawkers crackdown. 3 years later, one of the hawkers sold fishball at the same venue.

In the first three days of the year of the pig, Portland street was crammed with hawkers and visitors. More than 40 hawkers are selling different food.

Polices were patrolling at the Sai Yeung Choi Street, preventing people from performing or selling street food. The pedestrian zone of Sai Yeung Choi Street were closed on August, 2018.

Banners warning people not to cause obstruction and not to buy street food were lifted up.

The Hong Kong Police launched banners as to warn any obstruction. Also, police officers were assigned to regulate order.

Hawkers were unofficially permitted to sell street food. The fishball shop set their stall right next to the police's banner.

It is an unspoken rule during the first three days of lunar new year that the police would turn a blind eye to the hawkers. This tradition put police in a dilemma: To ban or not to ban?

Ban? Na. She sold crispy banana in the prosecution-free period.

This family sold cheese. They wrote a promotion board, telling people "Wanna be the boss? Buy cheese at our shop!"

Roasted pineapple is one of the most popular food, at least 20 people were waiting it no matter when.

The hawking market was not dominated by locals, many foreigners joined this year.

Some sellers called GoGoVan and Food Panda to refill their storage.

People visited the Portland Night Market usually because they are on their holiday, except the scavengers.