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DPP announces sit-in protest of assembly law

“‘Return the streets to the people’ was a campaign promise of Ma’s, yet it has become a political joke.” — Tsai Ing-wen, DPP chairperson

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday the party would stage a 24-hour sit-in protest in front of the Presidential Office following its rally on May 17.

“The government intends to pass the amendment to the Assembly and Parade Act [集會遊行法] before the May 17 rally, which is a sign that the government is returning to the authoritarian period,” Tsai said. “I have asked all officials and staffers from the party to stay and join the 24-hour sit-in protest on Ketagalan Boulevard after the May 17 rally finishes at 10pm.”

Tsai, who is visiting the US, told a press conference via teleconference yesterday: “The sit-in protest is aimed at breaking the restrictions of the Assembly and Parade Act.”

Tsai was referring to an amendment proposed by the Cabinet that would give police the right to prevent a rally or change its route if they deemed it a threat to national security, social order or the public interest. The proposal would also give police the authority to break up any rally that blocked traffic.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) last month urged the legislature to pass two UN covenants, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Tsai said, “yet the proposed amendment obviously violates the treaties.”

“‘Return the streets to the people’ was a campaign promise of Ma’s, yet it has become a political joke” because the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) wants to restrict the public’s right to take to the streets, she said.

The theme of the May 17 rally will be to protest against the government’s China policies and call on the government to protect Taiwan’s democracy, freedom and sovereignty, Tsai said, adding that it would be peaceful.
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