Regulations must be modified so that the time limit for setting up temporary tents on public roads in Taipei is shorter than the time limit of the approved road usage right, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday, adding that the city government would suggest that the Legislative Yuan establish a special protest zone.
Ko made the remark at an administrative meeting in the city’s Zhongshan District (中山區), referring to last week’s removal of the Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan’s tents — which had been outside the legislature for nearly a decade — by police and the Taipei Construction Management Office.
“Taiwan is a nation with democracy and freedom. Protesting is the people’s right, but individual freedom is limited in that it should not infringe on others’ freedom,” Ko said. “Taiwan must also be a nation that is governed by the rule of law.”
Photo: CNA
Roads are a public asset, so groups with any type of political stance should not be allowed to occupy roads and sidewalks for a long time, especially not nearly 10 years, which would affect residents’ lives, he said.
“I had been thinking about the case and realized that the Taipei City Government had been idle, because it had not dealt with the issue for so many years,” Ko said. “From now on, we will implement these actions thoroughly, because Taiwan cannot continue to be a disorderly nation.”
The city government is to address four areas to deal with “political road-hogging groups,” he said.
First, regulations would be modified so that the time limit for temporary tents on public roads is shorter than that of approved road usage, with the tents facing forced removal if they are not taken down before the deadline, he added.
Second, as many groups often hold long-term protests on sidewalks and roads outside the legislature, which affects the daily lives of residents, Ko said he has asked Taipei Deputy Mayor Teng Chia-chi (鄧家基) to discuss with the legislature the establishment of a special protest zone to limit the disorder caused by demonstrations.
Third, the city government would take legal action against protesters who wander outside sections of road on which a protest has been approved and obstruct traffic, he said.
Finally, Ko said he has asked the Taipei New Construction Office and the Taipei Police Department to revise road usage regulations to prevent political groups from applying to occupy a road for a long period of time.
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