MANHATTAN (REUTERS) - Was there something you didn't like about 2015? Want to forget and start anew? Dozens of people used a giant paper shredder to tear apart their bad memories of 2015.

Participants wrote their bad memory on a piece of paper and along with photographs, bills and other items of discontent, and tossed them in a large garbage bin.

Tim Tompkins is president of the Times Square Alliance.

"Fueling hate based on race, religion and nationality. I'm going to shred the Donald.", said Mr Tompkins.

A giant shredder was then used to decimate the paper and the memory into little bits.

"We can thrive with unconditional love. We don't need fear, we don't need people like Donald Trump or anybody else, creating fear for no reason and people buying into it, which I don't understand. We really don't need it", said Maria Benardis, a Good Riddance Day participant.

Bad memories, bad habits, bad relationships were all symbolically tossed away. The event offers many a fresh start to the new year.

"I'm saying goodbye to all my carelessness, I need to be more focused in the new year", said Aolat, a Good Riddance Day participant.

Organizers said the idea has its roots in a Latin American tradition where people would stuff dolls with objects representing bad memories and set the doll on fire.

This was the Ninth Annual Good Riddance Day held in New York's Times Square.