The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that found independence activist Su Beng (史明) guilty of using violence or threatening behavior at a public gathering and other crimes in a 2005 protest against then-Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan’s (連戰) visit to China.
On April 26, 2005, the day Lien embarked on his trip to China, hundreds of pan-green and pan-blue supporters clashed in the lobby of the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. The visit came shortly after China passed its “Anti-Secession” Law, which says the People’s Liberation Army can use “non-peaceful means” against Taiwan.
In the course of the protest, the 92-year-old Su and his associates lit firecrackers, which the courts said disrupted order at the airport and endangered passersby.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES
During his trials, Su said that he called for the fireworks to be set off out of self-defense because he saw gang members at the scene.
Thursday’s ruling said that Su violated the Criminal Code (刑法) and the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) and refused to disperse after being ordered to do so by police.
The Supreme Court sentenced Su to a total of 230 days in prison, but allowed him the option of paying a fine in lieu of serving time in jail. The judges said they were lenient because Su’s actions did not cause injury or death. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
After the verdict, Su said his protests were a product of his love for Taiwan.
“How could that be called a crime?” he asked.
Su said he led the protest at the airport because he was worried China would take over Taiwan. If President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) follows in Hong Kong’s footsteps, Taiwan will soon become part of China, Su said, adding that he was very angry with the verdict and had not considered his next step.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LEE HSIN-FANG
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