There is no ban on wearing masks at rallies, but the government does not encourage the practice either, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) told lawmakers yesterday.
As far as he could recall, the government has never banned masks at rallies, Hsu said during an interpellation session on the legislative floor, after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才) asked him if people could wear masks at protests.
Demonstrations nowadays are relatively peaceful compared with those seen during the nation’s democratic movement, he added.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Hsu was foolish to encourage people to wear masks, as it would make identification difficult if the rallies turned violent, Lo said.
The premier also defended the no-mask-ban policy.
Taiwan is a free, democratic and liberal nation, so the government would not issue a mask ban, but the government would not tolerate masked thugs, such as the man who tossed red paint on Hong Kong singer and rights advocate Denise Ho (何韻詩) on the sidelines of a rally last month, Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said.
However, that incident was a case of organized crime, he said.
Yesterday’s questions came after National Police Agency Director-General Chen Ja-chin (陳家欽) on Sunday said that Article 14 of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) stipulates that authorities “shall put necessary restrictions” on “any disguise that might make personal identification difficult,” effectively prohibiting the use of masks.
However, that did not mean that police would ban protesters from wearing a mask or other covering, Chen said, adding that police would only check the identity of people they think might pose a potential threat to a rally.
Additional reporting by CNA
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
RSS