Religious groups and members of civic organizations advocating “traditional family values” yesterday rallied outside the Judicial Yuan in Taipei, a rally that became a protest after the Council of Grand Justices in the afternoon issued a constitutional interpretation in favor of the legalization of same-sex marriage.
The protesters included members of the Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance, the Association for Taiwan Social Stability, the Alliance of Religious Groups for the Love of Families Taiwan and other groups that have vehemently opposed marriage equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
At the initially boisterous rally, demonstrators accompanied their chants with drums and other musical instruments, while many people held up banners or placards with slogans such as “We do not welcome same-sex marriage in Taiwan,” “Defend the traditional family,” “The judicial process is unfair” and “Justice is dead and buried.”
Photo: Liu Hsin-te, Taipei Times
After the grand justices’ interpretation was announced, many of the demonstrators reacted angrily or broke into tears.
They denounced the Council of Grand Justices and ripped up paper to symbolize their disbelief in the justices’ explanations for the ruling.
The chants turned to “Shame on the judiciary,” “We want a referendum,” “Down with the Judicial Yuan president” and “Down with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).”
Photo: Wen Yu-te, Taipei Times
The interpretation represents “the elite of the nation’s judiciary system bullying the majority opinion of the public,” alliance convener Yu Hsin-yi (游信義) said, adding that it is wrong for the “lawmaking body to interfere with justice.”
“We are very disappointed with the ruling and plan to continue to fighting against it with all our might,” Yu told an improptu news conference at the rally site. “We plan to request that the Control Yuan conduct a probe into the grand justices.”
He said the grand justices had “rigged the process” by calling expert witnesses to testify, none of whom stood for traditional family values or the protection of the sacred institution of marriage.
Yu vowed to push for a national referendum so that the public could have their say on the issue, and also to redouble efforts with a signature campaign to recall legislators he said had failed to listen to their constituents on the issue.
Alliance lawyer Yeh Kuang-chou (葉光洲) said the constitutional interpretation puts Taiwan on the map as the first to allow same-sex marriage in Asia, “but we might lose many things in the future, and I am afraid to find out.”
“The grand justices should not become spokespeople for movements that advocate social causes. The ruling shows our justice system is biased toward certain groups,” Yeh said.
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