The New Power Party’s (NPP) Claire Wang (王婉諭), who secured a legislator-at-large seat in Saturday’s elections, yesterday launched legal action in Taipei over comments made online about her children.
Wang, a mother of four, lost her three-year-old daughter in an attack in 2016.
Her daughter, nicknamed “Little Lightbulb” (小燈泡), was decapitated on a street in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖).
Photo: Cheng Ying-yi, Taipei Times
Following her win on Saturday, a person surnamed Wang (王) wrote on Facebook: “It is okay, there are two more who can be slashed,” reports said.
Another commenter, surnamed Chen (陳), wrote: “There are two more that can be slashed, made into lanterns,” reports said.
Claire Wang yesterday said that in addition to the two commenters, she is to file lawsuits for threatening and endangering safety against other Facebook account owners who “liked” the comments, as “likes” signaled support.
She has received critical comments since the attack, but they have intensified since she began to seek public office, she said.
While people should hold her to the highest standards, criticism should be targeted at her performance in the Legislative Yuan and her stance on public issues, she said.
They should not come in the form of “malicious” comments that tear society apart, divide people, have no benefit and are potentially criminal, Claire Wang said.
‘ZERO TOLERANCE’
No parent would tolerate threats such as the ones that have been made against her children, Claire Wang said, adding: “As a mother, I will definitely protect my children.”
By filing the lawsuits, hopefully the malicious comments would end, she said, adding that she hopes the people who made them will take responsibility for what they wrote.
After the elections, everyone still lives in the same land, she said.
While the losing sides might feel frustrated and their moods would inevitably be affected, the elections are over, she said, calling for unity as the nation moves forward.
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