‘The Elephants Are Coming’: Thousands Cram Alleyways, Triggering Fury Online

The giant elephants drew the crowds, but the crush afterward became the evening’s dominant memory. Thousands of people poured into narrow Shilin alleyways after Taipei’s 2026 Arts Festival performance, only to find themselves unable to move.

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What’s the point of watching elephants? I was already furious before seeing them!

The free outdoor show, “Trois Éléphants Passent…,” brought French street-art group Compagnie Oposito to Taipei. Three enormous metal elephants, each 4.5 meters high and 8 meters long, moved through the streets on an 800-meter parade route. Organizers presented the event as a citywide celebration designed especially for Taipei.

Instead, many spectators complained that the event ended without clear routes, police deployment, or enough staff to guide people away. One Threads user wrote that more than a thousand people became stuck in nearby alleys, while those trying to turn back collided with people still entering the area. The post ended in anger: “What’s the point of watching elephants? I was already furious before seeing them!”

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Don’t forget the Itaewon disaster.

Other attendees said they saw almost no police. Some warned against forgetting the Itaewon disaster and said the crowd nearly reached a stampede situation. With people moving in different directions, spectators themselves reportedly shouted to those behind them that the performance had ended and they should turn back. One image taken from above showed the packed streets, captioned by the departing viewer: “Finally escaped hell.”

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Finally escaped hell.