The campaign aimed at ousting President Chen Shui-bian (
"The change in plan is to avoid clashes taking place as they did [on Saturday]," Fan said, adding that the campaign's organizer, former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-teh (
A couple of skirmishes occurred during Saturday's pro-Chen rally as some DPP supporters, who were upset about coverage of the protests by certain media outlets, tried to argue with reporters.
Some DPP supporters and anti-Chen protesters also came to blows around Taipei Railway Station on Saturday, when the DPP supporters passed by the area on their way home after taking part in a pro-Chen rally backed by the DPP.
On Saturday, the anti-Chen campaign told a press conference that following a "siege" in Taipei the night before, they planned to besiege the Kaohsiung City Government on Sept. 29, and to stage anti-Chen demonstrations in Taichung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Hualien.
The camp, however, called off these plans, with Fan saying that Shih suggested concentrating the main force to oppose the president in Taipei.
The overnight change was made in an impromptu meeting shortly after midnight on Saturday, during which Shih voiced concern about social unrest around the country, Fan said.
"Shih said that the campaign was targeted at Chen rather than pro-Chen supporters, and he didn't want to see confrontations between the people," he said.
Meanwhile, the sit-in rally entered its ninth day yesterday, with protesters gathering outside Taipei Railway Station.
"The people's victory is in view as what is left within the DPP is only a power struggle," Shih said, addressing the anti-Chen crowd.
He urged the public to wear red clothes and make the thumbs-down gesture whenever they had a chance to see the president.
Shih said that the anti-Chen campaign headquarters in Taipei would not stage demonstrations nationwide, but people could spontaneously express their wish to depose the president at any time and anywhere.
In related news, former premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday said the DPP would not hold more mass rallies because it wanted to "give Ketagalan Boulevard back to the people" so that Taipei residents could enjoy smooth-running traffic and a tranquil life again.
Hsieh, who is running for Taipei mayor in the year-end election, criticized Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
He said the protest sit-in had forced buses to change routes and inconvenienced students and office workers, while slogan-shouting by thousands of protesters had disturbed patients at adjacent Taiwan University Hospital.
Rebutting Hsieh's claim, Ma, who also serves as chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), said there was no question about returning the boulevard back to the people.
Ma said that anti-corruption activists were entitled to protest under the Constitution.
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