In the wake of the violent clash between Taipei police and pan-blue supporters on Ketagalan Boulevard early yesterday morning, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) said the opposition camp had no control over people who had not been personally mobilized by the alliance.
"The alliance, along with its political ally, the New Party, did its best to mediate by advising people against illegally gathering in front of the Presidential Office," Lin said. "However, we had no control over people who were not mobilized by the alliance."
A number of pan-blue supporters yesterday complained that the leaders of the KMT-People First Party (PFP) alliance had offered them no support or even words of comfort after their clash with the riot police.
Looking weary after a night of scuffles with the police, protesters seeking a moment of rest at the KMT national headquarters, which is situated across the boulevard from the Presidential Office, yesterday voiced their dissatisfaction with the attitude of the KMT-PFP alliance.
"It [the alliance] wanted us to come, we didn't come here on our own," a 40-something pan-blue supporter said at the KMT national headquarters.
"We rely on [the alliance] to support us, how can they just leave us like that?" he said.
Other protesters at the KMT headquarters complained that they had lost personal items such as eyeglasses, mobile phones or shoes in the scuffle.
Many supporters said they thought they were carrying out the alliance's wishes and furthering its cause by gathering in front of the Presidential Office. Some said the absence of any alliance representatives after their clash with the riot police filled them with anger and annoyance.
"We are here fighting for you [the alliance,]" an army veteran surnamed Wang said.
"[KMT Chairman] Lien Chan (
The alliance should not simply claim that the whole brawl on Ketagalan Boulevard had been a spontaneous act by supporters and that the pan-blue-leadership had nothing to do with it, he said.
Although a number of KMT legislators have questioned the wisdom of holding further street demonstrations to increase pressure on President Chen Shui-bian (
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