High supporter numbers, leaks in the police department and assistance from former police officers are enabling protesters to run effective “guerrilla” campaigns, despite increased security around President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), pension reform opponents said yesterday, adding that “mobile human wall” tactics to keep them away from Tsai’s motorcade would not work.
Protesters have promised to “shadow” Tsai following the passage of pension reforms last month and have had some success in breaking through an increased police presence around the president, including briefly halting her motorcade outside National Defense University in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投) on Thursday last week.
“There are only two roads in and out of the university, so where could she go? The police cannot change the roads,” said Keng Chi-wen (耿繼文), a former director of the National Police Agency’s Internal Affairs Office, who has been one of the most prominent former police officers participating in protests.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Protesters stood along both sides of Zhongyang N Road, moving in front of Tsai’s motorcade as it approached the university entrance before being pushed aside by police.
An increased police presence and barricades around Tsai to keep protesters from getting too close when she arrives at a destination means that “guerrilla” tactics have been used to get close to her, with former police officers who are familiar with presidential security helping show protesters how to congregate and scatter along potential motorcade routes, Keng said.
“We are experts, so it is easy for us to predict the president’s route and backup route,” he said, adding that protesters also often receive leaked information from police.
Photo: Wang Chun-chi, Taipei Times
“We can make quick observations and then divide our forces along potential routes, so there is a chance of blocking her regardless of which way they drive,” he said.
“It might be different if Tsai was just a movie star who could come and go quietly, but presidential security leaves an extremely obvious footprint,” Taiwan Policemen Association executive director Chen Chih-chieh (陳志傑) said, adding that protesters relay signs of police reconnaissance and barricading via social media to predict the president’s movements and mobilize quickly.
“There are different standard operating procedures for the president compared with the vice president or a minister, so we can predict who is coming based on police preparations,” Chen said.
Reports that police plan to begin deploying a “mobile human wall” to counter protesters’ tactics drew disparaging remarks.
“Even if they block off one point, we will just catch Tsai later on,” Keng said.
“Even if the wall succeeds, the sight of policemen being forced to run around would still be embarrassing to Tsai, which is our objective,” Chen said.
It is possible Tsai might be faced with a car suddenly “breaking down” in front of her motorcade, Yunlin County Retired Police Officers Association executive director Lai Kun-yu (賴坤柚) said.
‘UNFRIENDLY’: Changing the nationality listing of Taiwanese residents to ‘China’ goes against EU foreign policy as well as democratic and human rights principles, MOFA said Taiwan yesterday called on Denmark to correct its designation of the nationality of Taiwanese residents as “China” or face retaliatory measures. The Danish government in 2024 changed the nationality of Taiwanese citizens on their residence permits from “Taiwan” to “China.” The decision goes against EU foreign policy and contravenes democratic and human rights principles, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said. Denmark should present a solution acceptable to Taiwan as soon as possible and correct the erroneous designation to preserve the longstanding friendship between the two nations, Hsiao said. The issue could damage Denmark’s image and business reputation in Taiwan,
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
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
SUFFICIENT: The president said Taiwan has enough oil for next month, with reserves covering more than 100 days and natural gas enough for 12 to 14 days A restart plan for the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) would be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of the month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, reversing the government’s policy to abolish nuclear energy. On May 17 last year, Taiwan shut down its last nuclear reactor and became the first non-nuclear nation in East Asia, fulfilling the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s pledge of a “nuclear-free homeland.” Even without nuclear power, Taiwan can maintain a stable electricity supply until 2032,
RSS