‘Romantic Central’: backlash after Hong Kong beau gets down on one knee to propose marriage in middle of busy road at rush hour in heart of city
- Photos show smartly-dressed man down on one knee in front of woman in the middle of a road in city’s bustling business district
- Romantic stunt provokes storm of criticism online with many accusing the man of endangering public safety and order
A Hong Kong man who staged a dramatic proposal of marriage in the middle of a road in one of the city’s busiest areas – at rush hour – has been subjected to a fierce online backlash.
The unidentified man posted two photos on a Hong Kong Facebook group last Tuesday accompanied by the words, “so romantic and sweet in Central”. The group has more than 110,000 participants.
His romantic stunt took place at the junction of Pedder Street in the very heart of Hong Kong’s Central district, one of the city’s most congested areas.
Dressed in a white shirt and black suit trousers, the man can be seen getting down on one knee on the road while showing a small box – almost certainly containing a ring – to a smiling woman in a white cardigan and black dress.
The photographer who took the shot did not reveal whether the woman accepted his proposal, but according to the poster, the woman in the photos is smiling.
However, instead of earning kudos for imagination and charm, the daring beau has faced a furious backlash on social media.
The vast bulk of more than 180 comments about the photos were negative, and certainly not a celebration of romance.
Many chastised the man for blocking the traffic in one of Hong Kong’s busiest areas.
“Why should a marriage proposal obstruct the road? It will affect drivers,” said one online observer.
Another said: “This kind of behaviour must not be encouraged! If you ignore public safety and public order like they did, the whole city will become chaotic!”
Some people were also curious if the man’s proposal was accepted: “Now the whole world knows, if it didn’t work, he has made a fool of himself,” said one commenter.
