The first official CHIIKAWA (Chiikawa) pop-up store in Hong Kong launched at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui from April 2 to 27, featuring 21 popular plush toys released on April 9, 15, and 21. On April 14 at 4 p.m., organizer Niko-Niko announced a same-day ticketing arrangement for April 15 via Facebook and immediately opened the queue area—prompting a massive influx of fans and resulting in overcrowding.
Within an hour, over a thousand fans lined up outside Ocean Terminal. By 7 p.m., organizers declared the quota full and closed the queue, drawing backlash online. Netizens criticized the lack of notice: “They said to queue at 11, but opened at 4,” and “Posted the update past 4, but it was already jammed.” Organizers later urged the public not to go to the venue to avoid congestion.
Police received a report at 8:22 p.m. regarding suspected hiring of illegal workers to hold spots in line, classifying the case as “police assistance sought.” A second complaint at 8:54 p.m. reported pavement obstruction and unpleasant odors near the pier. Police arrived and treated the incident as a “public nuisance,” using loudspeakers to manage the crowd.
