The Taipei City Government yesterday granted organizers of an anti-President Chen-Shui-bian (陳水扁) rally permission to stage an around-the-clock sit-in protest from Aug. 23 to Sept. 7 on Ketagalan Boulevard.
The approval of the protest, launched by former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (
Ma yesterday denied the city government had given Shih special treatment by relaxing restrictions on the protest deadline of 10pm, stressing that the Assembly and Parade Law does not stipulate any protest deadline.
"The deadline is set by the police to ensure quality of life for local residents ... The rights to assembly and parade are protected by the Constitution, and the city government is responsible for protecting the protesters if the rally is approved," Ma said.
He added that the city government will provide services to the protesters such as traffic information and restrooms.
Asked if he would ask for leave or even resign his post as Taipei mayor to attend the sit-in, Ma said "there was no need" for him to quit since the rally was being held legally and it would be unnecessary for the city government to disperse the crowd.
According to director of the Bureau of Public Works' new construction department, Lee Shu-chuan (
The around-the-clock protest will end at 10pm on Sept. 7 and resume on Sept. 11.
The organizer will also need to apply for parade permits from Taipei City Police Department, which said it will probably grant the them.
"But we will disperse the crowd if the protesters violate the affidavit," Lee added.
Lee said the department would only grant half of the boulevard's road space to the campaign during the week, but it will open all the lanes for the protesters during the weekend.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
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