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SINGAPORE \u2013 The organisers of the 2026 National Day Parade (NDP) will now allow live streaming and professional cameras into the event\u2019s venue, the National Stadium.<\/p>\n
In updates on Instagram and Facebook on July 4, the official NDP account NDPeeps said it has adjusted the list of prohibited items allowed inside the Kallang site, which is hosting the event again after 10 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve updated the guidelines,\u201d the posts said. \u201cThanks to everyone who reached out with questions. We\u2019ve adjusted the prohibited items list to make it easier to prepare for your visit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professional cameras \u2013 originally listed as prohibited \u2013 were removed from the list, along with live streaming of the parade.<\/p>\n
While organisers relented in allowing live streaming and pro cameras, the ban on gimbals, selfie sticks, tripods and monopods stays.<\/p>\n
The original list of prohibited items was shared on the NDPeeps Facebook page on July 3 at 9.25pm. <\/p>\n
It follows an advisory on the official NDP website issued on July 2 which cites conditions for entry into the National Stadium as:<\/p>\n
1. No professional photo or video cameras allowed.
2. No selfie sticks, gimbals, tripods and monopods.
3. Live streaming of event is prohibited.<\/p>\n
Checks by The Straits Times at 1pm on July 4 showed that the official website had yet to be updated.<\/p>\n
The rules were announced as part of an overall safety alert. Other banned items include weapons, protective and security gear, canned items, water bottles containing liquid, and drones.<\/p>\n
The ban on live streaming and professional cameras was called into question by landscape photographer Darren Soh in a Facebook post on the night of July 3.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait a minute \u2013 since when are NDP attendees not allowed to bring professional grade photography equipment to the Parade?\u201d Soh said in his post.<\/p>\n
Under Soh\u2019s post, another user, EuJin Goh, said: \u201cWe\u2019re getting more and more ludicrous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another user, Hester Tan, wondered if it was due to the National Stadium\u2019s own rules.<\/p>\n
Soh said the stadium bans \u201cprofessional\u201d equipment for its commercial events because it does not want people to resell images of stars like Taylor Swift or Ronaldo. But this, Soh added, is the NDP.<\/p>\n
NDP fan Kenneth Chiang, 30, said the revision \u201cmakes much more sense\u201d and thanked organisers for listening to feedback from the public.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe original ban on professional cameras did not make much sense,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially since NDP is a national community event unlike a commercial concert, which is understandable.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said many members of the photography community were shocked that the rule even applied for NDP, noting that earlier editions, whether at the Floating Platform or Padang, never had such rules banning professional cameras.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ban on professional cameras could also lead to a gaping hole in the social memories of such an event coming back to a historic venue after so long,\u201d the photographer, who has watched the parade on site annually since 2009, told ST.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be quite sad if 10, 20 years from now, people can only look back on poorly taken mobile phone shots or Instagram reels without high quality documentation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think now that the Government owns the Sports Hub, it should adjust the rules to be more community friendly rather than one run commercially,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n