Hong Kong’s ‘Instagram Pier’ closed to the public by officials reportedly citing Covid-19 concerns
- Visitor access denied from Sunday to the Western District Public Cargo Working Area, better known to social media users as ‘Instagram Pier’
- Photographers, Instagram fans, have for years flocked to the waterfront site in Kennedy Town, to the annoyance of several firms operating in the area
A Hong Kong cargo dock known as “Instagram Pier” for its popularity with photographers and social media users was shut to the public over the weekend by officials reportedly citing coronavirus-related concerns.
A councillor said he was shocked to find the photogenic spot at the Western District Public Cargo Working Area in Kennedy Town closed off on Sunday without warning or consultation, although he noted that businesses had previously made complaints over visitors disrupting their operations there.
Social media influencers and photographers from around the world are among the tens of thousands of people who have showcased pictures online of calming sunsets against the industrial backdrop, using the hashtag #instagrampier.
Central and Western district councillor Sam Yip Kam-lung said the Marine Department cited “Covid-19 concerns” when it told him last Friday afternoon that the pier would be closed to the public from Monday. However, he discovered on Sunday afternoon the pier had already been shut without notice.
“I called the department to ask why they were closing it so suddenly and without any official public statement, but they said they would go ahead with the decision anyway,” Yip said on Monday.
