3,000 crowd at Changhua rally exit causes Itaewon-like crush; official averts disaster

A campaign event for a Kuomintang (KMT) candidate in Changhua, Taiwan, drew an estimated 3,000 supporters, but ended with a chaotic exit that drew comparisons to the Itaewon crowd crush. The event, held at the Huangchao Ding Banquet Hall in Yuanlin City, saw a massive turnout. However, as the event concluded, a large number of attendees attempted to leave simultaneously through a single, narrow exit. This created a dangerous bottleneck, with people reportedly packed tightly together. The situation raised concerns about public safety, with the scene described as a potential repeat of the Itaewon tragedy in South Korea, where a deadly crowd crush occurred. Fortunately, an official present at the scene intervened to manage the flow of people, guiding them out and preventing a more serious incident. The incident highlights the challenges of managing large crowds, especially during political events.