Police yesterday said that they had plans in place to deal with any potential mobster or spy activities at the demonstration in front of the Presidential Office.
"We received reliable tips that local gangsters may be involved in the rally, so we have to pay attention to that and take all necessary precautionary measures," said Wang Cho-chiun (
PHOTO: LIAO CHEN-HUI, TAIPEI TIMES
Yu Yi-hsien (
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
The informant told the police that many pan-blue camp officials had recognized gangsters in the crowd during the protest at the Central Election Committee on Friday. The gangsters were allegedly planning to create trouble at yesterday's rally.
"We are still trying to confirm the tips and trying to figure out whether these gangsters were paid to participate," Yu said. "If so, who is their employer?"
Another source told police that China may send spies to inflame people's emotions by creating minor incidents during the rally.
"We have not been able to substantiate any of the claims about espionage. Our investigation did not reveal any sign that Chinese spies are involved," Yu said.
In an incident at the People First Party (PFP) headquarters on Friday, two rioters lit a petrol bomb made from a beer bottle in front of the building, then dropped the bottle and ran away. The flames were extinguished by PFP officials.
The police administration's First Peace Preservation Corp yesterday sent 200 officers to guard the Democratic Progressive Party's headquarters. Two officers and a police vehicle patrolling the area every hour were assigned to the PFP headquarters.
As of press time yesterday, no injuries or gangster activity had been reported at the protest at the Presidential Office.
The police did arrest two teenagers who brought samurai swords into the crowd. The teenagers were being questioned by authorities last night.
According to Yu, the Taipei City Police Department assigned 4,600 officers to maintain public order at the rally. The National Police Administration assigned another 4,000 officers to help.
"Everything will be under control, if the crowd stays calm," Yu said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS