The Miaoli District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday indicted seven people, including Youth Alliance for Miaoli spokesman Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷), for interfering with official duties and destroying property among other charges during a series of protests last year over the demolition of four farmers’ homes in Dapu Borough (大埔).
Prosecutors said the seven were charged with violating the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法), contempt of authority, obstructing officials in carrying out their duties, causing bodily harm and property damage.
The seven staged a series of protests after the Miaoli County Government on July 18 last year partially or completely flattened the four remaining houses resisting demolition to make way for a science park in the farming village of Dapu in the county’s Jhunan Township (竹南).
One of the protests took place outside the former house of Chang Sen-wen (張森文), one of the four homeowners whose body was found in September last year in an irrigation channel about 200m from the site.
Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) attempted to visit the Chang family on Sept. 18 after Chang’s body was found, but relatives, friends and supporters of the family stood outside the house to block his entry. Liu was hit by a shoe during the confrontation.
Chen later admitted he threw the shoe, prompting Liu to file a lawsuit against him.
At another rally on Aug. 16 last year, 1,000 people sang to show support for the Dapu homeowners and later threw eggs at the county government building to express their anger at the government. Fifteen police officers were accidentally hit by the eggs, including officer Chang Shih-hsiung (張世雄), who was rushed to a hospital after his right eyeball was injured by eggshell fragments.
Another incident took place on Sept. 14 last year, during which protesters clashed with police when the former dared Liu to come forward and take questions from the public over the Dapu case.
In response to the indictment yesterday, Chen said he did not intend to break the law when he took part in the protests.
“The county government had abused its power by destroying people’s homes and we were simply expressing civil disobedience,” he said.
Chen said that Liu should be held responsible for what happened, since the conflict was all because of the commissioner’s disrespect for a family in mourning.
“Liu told the media that he has taken legal action to defend the dignity of government employees, but I would say that a government employee does not deserve to be respected if he disrespects a family in mourning and upsets people,” Chen said in a statement.
Civil society groups yesterday protested outside the Legislative Yuan, decrying Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) efforts to pass three major bills that they said would seriously harm Taiwan’s democracy, and called to oust KMT caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁). It was the second night of the three-day “Bluebird wintertime action” protests in Taipei, with organizers announcing that 8,000 people attended. Organized by Taiwan Citizen Front, the Economic Democracy Union (EDU) and a coalition of civil groups, about 6,000 people began a demonstration in front of KMT party headquarters in Taipei on Wednesday, organizers said. For the third day, the organizers asked people to assemble
Taipei is participating in Osaka’s Festival of Lights this year, with a 3m-tall bubble tea light installation symbolizing Taiwan’s bubble tea culture. The installation is designed as a bubble tea cup and features illustrations of Taipei’s iconic landmarks, such as Taipei 101, the Red House and North Gate, as well as soup dumplings and the matchmaking deity the Old Man Under the Moon (月下老人), affectionately known as Yue Lao (月老). Taipei and Osaka have collaborated closely on tourism and culture since Taipei first participated in the festival in 2018, the Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism said. In February, Osaka represented
POOR IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers welcomed the suspension, saying that the scheme disrupted school schedules, quality of learning and the milk market A policy to offer free milk to all school-age children nationwide is to be suspended next year due to multiple problems arising from implementation of the policy, the Executive Yuan announced yesterday. The policy was designed to increase the calcium intake of school-age children in Taiwan by drinking milk, as more than 80 percent drink less than 240ml per day. The recommended amount is 480ml. It was also implemented to help Taiwanese dairy farmers counter competition from fresh milk produced in New Zealand, which is to be imported to Taiwan tariff-free next year when the Agreement Between New Zealand and
Taiwanese professional baseball should update sports stadiums and boost engagement to enhance fans’ experience, Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) told the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) in an interview on Friday. The league has urged Farglory Group and the Taipei City Government to improve the Taipei Dome’s outdated equipment, including relatively rudimentary television and sound systems, and poor technology, he said. The Tokyo Dome has markedly better television and sound systems, despite being 30 years old, because its managers continually upgraded its equipment, Tsai said. In contrast, the Taipei Dome lacked even a room for referees
RSS