Friday last week’s attack on Taipei’s metro system was shocking and heartbreaking. Such violence not only harms lives, but also shakes public trust in the safety of shared spaces. Every person deserves the basic human rights of safety, dignity and freedom from fear. Public transportation should be a place of security — not a source of terror.
Last Friday evening, I happened to be on the Bannan Line, relieved that I had not gotten off at the two stations where the attack occurred. After finishing work related to a Constitutional Court ruling, I began checking news updates to confirm what had happened and whether safety alerts were needed.
During the whole weekend, social media algorithms flooded my feed with close-up footage of the assailant. I did not click on any of them, yet the images kept coming.
Watching these scenes felt deeply unsettling. Eventually, I decided to turn off social media and television news for a while.
In Haruki Murakami’s non-fictional work Underground, victims often expressed feeling ignored by society. Media attention shifted quickly to the perpetrators and the cult, while the suffering of ordinary commuters faded into the background.
In moments like this, empathy and responsibility matter more than ever. Privacy must be respected.
Exposing victims’ medical histories only causes secondary harm. Scapegoating specific communities or groups is dangerous and unjust. Spreading unverified information fuels panic and misinformation. Media and social platforms should stop repeatedly broadcasting violent footage.
Such images risk triggering copycat behavior, and deepen the trauma for victims and their families.
For those feeling anxious from constant news coverage or online speculation, it is alright to take a break. Turn off the TV, step away from social media, and allow space to breathe.
Warmth and trust are what society needs most right now. Public spaces must be safeguarded, and genuine care extended to those affected — everyone deserves to move through the city without fear.
Chiu E-ling is the executive director of Amnesty International Taiwan.
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