Photos:Skateboarders squeezed out in fight for Shanghai streets

By HT Correspondent

Updated On Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year, but many in the growing scene in Shanghai complain that they have few places to go and are looked down upon as trouble-makers. But while perceptions are softening, skateboarders still face a squeeze on where they can go. There have to pay for facilities and that is expensive and inconvenient for them.

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A boy practicing on a skateboard near the Shanghai Long Museum in Shanghai. Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year, but many in the growing scene in Shanghai complain that they have few places to go and are looked down upon as trouble-makers. Guan Kangrong travels more than one hour to visit a public skate park next to the Huangpu River, which runs through Shanghai. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

A boy practicing on a skateboard near the Shanghai Long Museum in Shanghai. Skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year, but many in the growing scene in Shanghai complain that they have few places to go and are looked down upon as trouble-makers. Guan Kangrong travels more than one hour to visit a public skate park next to the Huangpu River, which runs through Shanghai. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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The places are frequently busy with small children -- themselves deprived of places to run free as Shanghai modernises and residential, office and retail blocks compete for space. “It happened this morning -- we had a small skateboarding activity in the skatepark but kids came and occupied the place,” said the 16-year-old Guan. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

The places are frequently busy with small children -- themselves deprived of places to run free as Shanghai modernises and residential, office and retail blocks compete for space. “It happened this morning -- we had a small skateboarding activity in the skatepark but kids came and occupied the place,” said the 16-year-old Guan. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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People skateboarding at a park near the Shanghai Long Museum in Shanghai. There is a sign saying the area is for skateboarding only, but it is so small that few people see it and security guards show little desire to enforce the rule. The facility is also falling into disrepair, the concrete cracked and crumbling, while metal grooves running along the ground are an unwelcome hazard. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

People skateboarding at a park near the Shanghai Long Museum in Shanghai. There is a sign saying the area is for skateboarding only, but it is so small that few people see it and security guards show little desire to enforce the rule. The facility is also falling into disrepair, the concrete cracked and crumbling, while metal grooves running along the ground are an unwelcome hazard. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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An argument erupts after a skateboarder whizzes past a toddler, narrowly avoiding clattering into the little girl. On another occasion, a security guard throws buckets of water on a stretch of concrete to stop skateboarders practising there. They are accused of “lack of self-discipline” and duly told to clear off. The Xinmin Evening News said there were plenty of dedicated skateboard areas in the city of 24 million people, including the battleground riverside park. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

An argument erupts after a skateboarder whizzes past a toddler, narrowly avoiding clattering into the little girl. On another occasion, a security guard throws buckets of water on a stretch of concrete to stop skateboarders practising there. They are accused of “lack of self-discipline” and duly told to clear off. The Xinmin Evening News said there were plenty of dedicated skateboard areas in the city of 24 million people, including the battleground riverside park. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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Kong Jianhao, founder of skater group BASE, said that summed up the opposition he and his friends often face. Many of the young skateboarders sport tattoos, adding to the impression that they are a fringe group in a society where conformity is strongly encouraged. “In foreign countries skateboarding can be as popular as cycling and roller-skating,” said Jianhao. However, in China, skateboarding is a ‘special’ sport because Chinese may think it dangerous and niche. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

Kong Jianhao, founder of skater group BASE, said that summed up the opposition he and his friends often face. Many of the young skateboarders sport tattoos, adding to the impression that they are a fringe group in a society where conformity is strongly encouraged. “In foreign countries skateboarding can be as popular as cycling and roller-skating,” said Jianhao. However, in China, skateboarding is a ‘special’ sport because Chinese may think it dangerous and niche. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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Earlier older people would think that skateboarders are not good kids and skateboarding is not a good sport. However, the local sports authority has begun organising competitions and old-fashioned attitudes are slowly changing. But while perceptions are softening, skateboarders say they face a squeeze on where they can go. There are paid-for facilities in Shanghai, but these tend to be expensive and inconvenient to reach, say many skateboarders. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

Earlier older people would think that skateboarders are not good kids and skateboarding is not a good sport. However, the local sports authority has begun organising competitions and old-fashioned attitudes are slowly changing. But while perceptions are softening, skateboarders say they face a squeeze on where they can go. There are paid-for facilities in Shanghai, but these tend to be expensive and inconvenient to reach, say many skateboarders. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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The skateboarders would be happy to practise on the streets or in other public spaces, but sometimes they are fined or chased away by the black-shirted security guards that are omnipresent in Chinese cities. “To clear us out of here, security guards even sprayed water on the ground before. From Monday to Friday, they will not care too much about you, but on weekends they are strict and drive us away,” said Chen, a university student. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Updated on Aug 16, 2019 11:00 am IST

The skateboarders would be happy to practise on the streets or in other public spaces, but sometimes they are fined or chased away by the black-shirted security guards that are omnipresent in Chinese cities. “To clear us out of here, security guards even sprayed water on the ground before. From Monday to Friday, they will not care too much about you, but on weekends they are strict and drive us away,” said Chen, a university student. (HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

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