Numerous scuffles broke out in Taipei yesterday between supporters of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and followers of former Democratic Progressive Party chairman Shih Ming-teh's (
Most of the skirmishes took place as pro-Chen supporters started showing up at Taipei Railway Station on their way home after taking part in the rally hosted by the Taiwan Society on Ketagalan Boulevard.
The president's supporters, clearly identified by their green paraphernalia and clothing, quickly drew the attention of the crowd of red-clad anti-Chen protesters who had been stationed at Taipei Railway Station since the previous night.
One couple with pro-Chen flags walking near the station were escorted away by police to protect them from the red-clad crowd.
On a news clip broadcast by SETV last night, a woman who was holding a pro-Chen flag was shown being knocked out by a man wearing red in the vicinity of Taipei Railway Station. She lay on the ground for a few moments before regaining consciousness.
Pro-Chen supporters aboard buses stuck in traffic in front of Taipei Railway Station were seen making "love Taiwan" gestures in a sort of competition with anti-Chen protesters standing across from them on the sidewalk making the anti-Chen thumbs-down gesture.
At one point Zhongxiao W Road was closed for about ten minutes by police to prevent any violent incidents from occurring, but the police decided to lift the order at approximately 7:15pm.
Another news clip broadcast by SETV early yesterday afternoon showed a man on his way to attend the pro-Chen rally, who passed by the plaza in front of Taipei Railway Station and shouted "Go Go A-bian!"
As anti-Chen protesters at the site starting moving toward him the police quickly escorted him away, but not before he was poked from behind by a red-clad person, prompting the man to yell out "Chinese people always resort to sneak attacks!"
According to Shih's camp, several pan-green supporters provoked the crowds at the sit-in site.
Back on Ketagalan Boulevard, physical skirmishes took place during yesterday's rally as reporters working for TV stations perceived by demonstrators to have pro-China sympathies were attacked.
Chet Yang (
"We realize that our supporters are upset about the coverage of certain media outlets, but they cannot use violence to stop them [reporters] from doing their job," he said. "It was a problem during [yesterday's] event and I'm willing to take full responsibility for it."
Yang then asked the press to stay inside a secluded area with the organizers. He also asked the media to provide any evidence of the acts of violence so he could voice the organizers' condemnation personally.
CtiTV reporter Cheng Shu-min (鄭淑敏) said that a middle-aged protester standing next to her told her that he refused to watch her station because he thought the coverage was biased and pro-China.
"He then started to grab my microphone," she said. "I refused to let go and other people around us started cursing me."
Cheng said that the man then touched her cheek and asked her not to be upset.
"I felt violated," she said.
Cheng's colleague and a cameraman, who were interviewing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (王世堅) on a platform near Jing Fu Men (景福門), were forced to stop their interview as demonstrators started shaking the platform and pounding it with their umbrellas.
CtiTV later released a statement condemning the incident.
Minutes later, an Eastern Television (ETTV) anchorwoman and cameraman, who were presenting a live broadcast on another raised platform next to that of CtiTV, were forced to stop their broadcast after six or seven demonstrators jumped onto the platform and interrupted their broadcast.
An FTV cameraman, who was wearing a red T-shirt and had forgotten to peel off an anti-Chen sticker from his camera, was chased by demonstrators.
According to the Taipei City Police Department, it dispatched more than 2,800 officers to the pro-Chen rally yesterday and about 600 were assigned to Taipei Railway Station where the anti-Chen crowd have been based since Friday night.
"Disturbances between the pro-Chen and anti-Chen Shui-bian groups are our biggest concern. I'd like to urge all the protesters to respect each other instead of provoking each other unnecessarily," said Huang Ching-fu (黃清福), head of the Taipei City Police Department's Peacekeeping Division.
Additional reporting by Jimmy Chuang and Mo Yan-chih
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