Supporters of a motion initiated by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) to allow police to use pepper spray sought to distance themselves from the proposal following news reports showing Hong Kong police using it to disperse pro-democracy demonstrators.
On Sunday, the territory’s riot police fired volleys of tear gas and pepper spray at a crowd protesting Beijing’s decision to limit political reform in the global financial hub. The demonstrators tried to protect themselves by improvising, using cling wrap to cover their faces and arms, as well as umbrellas, goggles, plastic bottles and surgical masks.
Wu said he initiated the motion on Sept. 16, adding that it was not related to the Hong Kong protests.
Wu added that the proposal was meant to help Taiwanese police handle civil unrest by clearing them of administrative responsibility if they used pepper spray.
The proposal was cosponsored by KMT legislators Chan Kai-chen (詹凱臣) and Hsu Hsin-ying (徐欣瑩), and signed by several KMT and independent lawmakers, including Chiu Wen-yen (邱文彥), Chen Hsueh-sheng (陳雪生), Chiang Hui-chen (江惠貞), Alicia Wang (王育敏), Wu Yu-jen (吳育仁), Lee Guei-min (李貴敏), Chiang Nai-hsin (蔣乃辛), Chen Chen-hsiang (陳鎮湘), Chen Pi-han (陳碧涵) and May Chin (高金素梅).
The motion did not pass due to a lack of support from other lawmakers.
Commenting on the proposed motion on Monday, Chiu said he did not agree with using more aggressive methods to handle conflict, adding that pepper spray could affect human health.
Chen Pi-han said she initially agreed with Wu Yu-sheng’s proposal as a way to help police disperse protesters.
However, she had a change of heart, she said.
“The matter [use of pepper spray] merits more consideration in light of the Hong Kong protests,” the lawmaker said.
Chiang Nai-hsin said he had not made a final decision on the issue, but he signed the motion for it to be forwarded to the legislature for debate.
Several other lawmakers declined to comment.
Black Island National Youth Front spokesperson Lai Yu-fen (賴郁棻) said that Taiwanese police are already allowed to use tear gas, batons and water cannons, and while these devices were little used in the past, they have been more common since the emergence of the Sunflower movement earlier this year.
“Giving police more tools to suppress the people would only make the police more brutal,” Lai said.
If the government wants to protect police officers, it should buy more shields for them, he said.
Academia Sinica researcher Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that there must be clear legal regulations stating what kind of equipment police are allowed to use under what circumstances to prevent abuse of power.
Responding to questions by lawmakers, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said the government has no plans to equip police with pepper spray.
The police have sufficient gear for now, he said.
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