MTR Corp reports mass fare evasion after video goes viral, vows more patrols
Groups of people evade fares by following paying passengers through turnstiles, with no station staff intervening
Hong Kong’s rail operator has reported a suspected mass fare evasion incident to police after online footage showed more than 30 people tailgating through barriers at Tsim Sha Tsui station, with no station staff seen intervening.
A viral video last week appeared to show a woman, believed to be a tour guide, tap her card at an exit gate in Tsim Sha Tsui station. As the gates opened, several men and women following her passed through in single file without tapping their own cards, causing the gate indicator to flash red repeatedly.
Multiple groups used the same method, with an estimated 30 or more people exiting without paying. In one instance, as many as six people trailed behind a person who made a single card tap to leave the station fare-free. No MTR Corporation staff were seen intervening throughout.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with users expressing shock at the apparent lack of staff response to the fare evasion.