The crowd that continued protesting in Ketagalan Boulevard after the end of Saturday's massive rally was finally dispersed by the Taipei Police Bureau at 5:25am yesterday morning.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), who ordered the police to act, said the exercise was successful as there had been no violence and nobody was injured in the process.
"I ordered the police to by no means use batons to beat the people who gathered in front of the presidential office building," Ma said.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
He stressed that it was he who had ordered the police to disperse the crowd.
"I never balked from dealing with the protesters. I just waited for the most opportune moment to disperse them," Ma said.
Only a few people suffered slight abrasions in the process and many of them left the scene voluntarily, Ma said.
After President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Saturday night demanded that Ma shoulder his responsibility as mayor of the capital and to disperse the crowd "without using double standards," the Taipei Police Bureau deployed about 800 riot police.
The first deployment began at around 3am yesterday morning. The police, including female officers, squatted or bent down in the rain in front of the crowd in an effort to persuade the people to go home of their own accord.
Many people yelling slogans and singing the national anthem refused to leave and a few skirmished with police.
A second unsuccessful effort was made at about 4am when around 300 people were still lingering in front of the Presidential Office. This was followed by the full contingent of near 800 riot-control police wearing helmets and shields mopping up the remnants of the crowd at 5:25am.
After Bureau Director of Police Wang Cho-chun (王卓鈞) issued the command, the police first tried to persuade the crowd to leave of their own accord. They then carried away, one by one, protesters who refused to leave.
While the police were carrying out orders, the call to remain calm and rational was repeated over a powerful loudspeaker.
At about 7am yesterday morning, Ketagalan Boulevard was completely cleared, with only about 200 people remaining at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to continue the protest.
"I can't go on anymore. I have to go home today. I am just too tired," said a woman only identified by her surname, Liao, sitting on the stairs of the National Concert Hall.
She said that she would not adhere to a call by lawmakers of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to keep up the protest for the next few weeks.
Also See Story:
Row erupts over crowd-clearing
NETWORK-MAPPING PROJECT: The database contains 170 detailed files of Taiwanese politicians and about 23 million records of household registration data in Taiwan China has developed a network-mapping project targeting political figures and parties in Taiwan to monitor public opinion during elections and to craft tailored influence campaigns aimed at dividing Taiwanese society, according to documents leaked by Chinese technology firm GoLaxy (中科天璣). The documents, collected by Taipei-based Doublethink Lab, showed a database was specifically created to gather detailed information on Taiwanese political figures, including their political affiliations, job histories, birthplaces, residences, education, religion and a brief biography about them. Several notable Taiwanese politicians are in the database, including President William Lai (賴清德), former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍),
KEY INDUSTRY: The vice premier discussed a plan to create a non-red drone supply chain by next year, which has been allocated a budget of more than NT$7.2 billion The government has budgeted NT$44.2 billion (US$1.38 billion) to cultivate Taiwan’s uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) industry over the next five years, which would make the nation a major player in the industry’s democratic supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. Cho made the remarks during a visit to the facilities of Cub Elecparts Inc (為升電裝). Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Yi-fong (謝依鳳) also participated in the trip. Cub Elecparts has transitioned from the automotive industry to the defense industry, which is the top priority among the nation’s
UPGRADED MISSILE: The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology is reportedly to conduct a live-fire test of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile on Thursday next week The US Army is planning to build new facilities to boost explosives production and strengthen its supply chain, a move aimed at addressing munitions shortages and supporting obligations to partners including Taiwan, Ukraine and Israel, Defense News reported. The army has issued a sources sought notice for a proposed Center of Excellence at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky, the report said. The facility would serve as a hub within the US industrial base for the production of key military explosives, including research department explosives (RDX) and high melting explosives (HMX), while also supporting research and development of next-generation materials. The proposed
SOUTH KOREA DISPUTE: If Seoul continues to ignore its request, Taiwan would change South Korea’s designation on its arrival cards, the foreign ministry said If South Korea does not reply appropriately to a request to correct Taiwan’s name on its e-Arrival card system before March 31, the government would take corresponding measures to change how South Korea is labeled on the online Taiwan Arrival Card system, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korea’s e-Arrival card system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in the “point of departure” and “next destination” fields. Taipei has asked Seoul to change the wording. Since March 1, South Koreans who hold government-issued Alien Resident Certificates (ARC) have been identified as from “South Korea” rather than the “Republic of Korea,” the
RSS