MOSCOW, January 2 (Sputnik) — Chinese society and state media have criticized the government and law-enforcement services for their inability to prevent New Year's Eve stampede, during which 36 people were killed and 47 more injured, according to Reuters.
"It was a lack of vigilance from the government, a sloppiness," the Xinhua state news agency wrote. It also stated the incident should be considered a warning that despite its rapid economic growth China still remains a developing country with poor social management.
"There was not enough policing and planning. It is really sad to see a stampede happen in a big city like Shanghai," said a Shanghai resident, cited by Reuters.
The incident took place in the Shanghai's historic riverfront area right before the clock struck midnight. According to various reports, police failed to restrain the flow of people, leading to an enormous amount of people crowding the area.
