Taipei police yesterday detained members of the China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) for brandishing a weapon and breaching assembly regulations at a rally outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, during which CUPP Chairman Chang An-le (張安樂) stumbled and fell on a prop coffin.
Chang, a former leader of the Bamboo Union gang, led a CUPP contingent to the legislature’s front entrance in the morning to protest remarks by Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) that in the event of an attack by China, he would never surrender, but would protect the nation by fighting to the end, even if he only had a broom.
Chang, who is also known as the “White Wolf,” had party members transport a wooden casket on a small truck that they intended to give to Su, who they said should not call for resistance to a Chinese military invasion, because that would result in many Taiwanese fatalities.
Photo: Peter Lo, Taipei Times
Amid a cordon of police to counter the protest, Chang stood on the truck and ordered that the casket be unloaded. Several police officers tried to block the unloading, resulting in the casket falling sideways, with its lid open, onto the grass of a lane divider on the boulevard in front of the legislature.
With media covering the protest and crowds watching, Chang tripped and stumbled as he stepped off the truck and fell on top of the casket.
One CUPP member quickly grabbed Chang to prevent him from tumbling into the open coffin, while an assistant, thinking that Chang had been hurt, repeatedly shouted: “Protect the chairman!”
Chang was then helped to his feet by two assistants.
However, throughout the incident the protesters were prevented entry to the legislature and police confiscated the casket after loading it back onto the truck.
Chang later argued with a police captain over the casket, saying: “What right do you have to confiscate my coffin?”
“You have forcibly seized my property. Give back my coffin ... unless you will give it to Su Tseng-chang,” he said.
“I want my coffin back... Otherwise, I can give it to you as a gift,” he added.
Police said they arrested a CUPP member surnamed Peng (彭) after he brandished a 25cm knife in an altercation with officers during the protest and another member, surnamed Ho (何), for creating a disturbance.
Authorities said they plan to charge Chang over the rally, as he did not apply for a public assembly permit, failed to disperse the group after receiving three warnings and contravened the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法).
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