Government officials have asked that police units bolster street patrols and increase roadside checks after a series of disturbances linked to purported youth motorcycle gangs in New Taipei City’s Sanchong (三重), Lujhou (蘆洲), Yonghe (永和) and Jhonghe (中和) districts over the past few days.
Officials said the agitation began on Tuesday, with a street fight between rival “motorcycle gangs,” resulting in injuries and knife wounds to several individuals.
Local authorities said youth groups they described as “gangs” from Sanchong and Lujhou districts took on others based in Jhonghe and Yonghe districts.
The violence led to more confrontations and “revenge” over the following days, at times with more than 100 young riders navigating New Taipei City streets late at night, which officials said fed fear and public security concerns for residents.
To stem the nighttime disturbances and maintain road safety, law enforcement personnel had made 25 arrests as of Friday.
Police confiscated weapons carried by suspected gang members, listing scores of knives, baseball bats, clubs, iron bars and even Japanese samurai swords among the contraband.
Officials said residents became more frightened when some people began to post pictures and messages online with threats and boasts such as: “Be careful of random knife-slashing on the streets,” and “It is a war for Sanchong and Luzhou gangs against Jhonghe and Yonghe gangs.”
The Taipei City Government on Friday also bolstered police presence and increased roadside checks.
As government officials touted the success of the crackdown in protecting public safety, fresh fighting and the gathering of suspected gang members were reported in Sanchong yesterday morning.
New Taipei City police said a preliminary investigation and evidence suggested involvement by chapters of the Bamboo Union (竹聯幫) and Celestial Way Gang (天道盟) in the past week’s disturbances, given the triads’ “behind-the-scenes” support of the groups.
A second theory said the incidents began when a group of youths from Jhonghe and Yonghe went to a billiard parlor in Lujhou for games and entertainment, but got into an argument with locals.
Some members of one of the groups made derogatory remarks about the others and the areas where they came from, which led to more accusations and online posts that led to the series of confrontations.
Law enforcement agencies in Taipei and New Taipei City have promised starting this weekend to implement a strong response with hundreds of police officers to restrain potential motorcycle gang activity and ensure public safety.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS