Scuffles broke out between “Occupy Taipei” demonstrators, the police and Taipei 101 security staff when hundreds of demonstrators rushed into the Taipei 101 shopping mall chanting anti-capitalist slogans, as part of a globally coordinated movement against capitalism inspired by the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstration that started in New York City last month.
“No to capitalism! We are the 99 percent,” demonstrators chanted, while also singing the Workers’ Fight Song as they marched through the ground floor of the shopping mall in the country’s tallest building.
Before entering the building, demonstrators circled it, sparking minor physical and verbal clashes with security staff and the police who tried — unsuccessfully — to stop the protesters from entering.
Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
After their brief “march” inside the building, the demonstrators lay down and blocked the entrance of the building. Initiated by Internet users on Facebook, several hundred people showed up at the “Occupy Taipei” demonstration.
The protesters said Taipei 101 was chosen as the target because it is a landmark symbol of capitalism in Taiwan. Participants were mostly students, but also included office workers and unemployed and retired people.
National Taiwan University student Ho Shiang-kai (何翔凱) and friends edited and printed their own magazine, titled Socialist, that they sold during the demonstration, saying they hoped to spread different views.
“I’m glad to see a demonstration in Taipei that has no specific goals, but is directly targeting -capitalism and the financial system in the country,” he said, adding that the capitalist system is making the poor — especially young college graduates — work hard, while they don’t get much in return, and the wealthy make more money through investment activities.
“There are too many problems with capitalism, but I think, at least, the first step to creating a fairer society is to tax peoples’ income through investment activities,” he said. “It’s not fair that workers have to pay taxes on their hard-earned money, but the wealthy are exempt from taxation on whatever they earn from the money game.”
Liang Sheng-yueh (梁聖岳), a high school student from Hsinchu City who traveled to Taipei to take part in the demonstration, was also concerned about the widening wealth gap.
“The economic growth figures may look good on paper, but we are not feeling it because all the money is going into the hands of capitalists,” Liang said. “I don’t expect instant change to happen, but I hope that this demonstration can at least be a start for change in the future.”
A 63-year-old owner of a home design firm surnamed Shen (沈) said he was happy to see so many young people standing up against social inequality. However, he said he had expected that more people would have attended the protest.
A young woman, who only wished to be known as Zoe and was among the first group of people to initiate the event, said she was surprised to see so many people coming out yesterday.
“This shows that a lot of people are dissatisfied with current social conditions,” she said. “I wouldn’t say whether today’s [yesterday’s] action was a success or a failure, because this is only the start.”
WHEELING AND DEALING? Hou You-yi, Ko Wen-je, Eric Chu and Ma Ying-jeou are under investigation for allegedly offering bribes for the other side to drop out of the race Taipei prosecutors have started an investigation into allegations that four top politicians involved in attempts to form a “blue-white” presidential ticket have contravened election regulations. Listed as defendants are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). The case stemmed from judicial complaints filed last month with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office alleging that the KMT (blue) and the TPP (white) had engaged in bribery by offering money or other enticements
PEACE AND STABILITY: ‘Taiwan can be of tremendous value’ in building resilient supply chains, President Tsai Ing-wen said, as she encouraged closer ties with foreign businesses A Chinese invasion of Taiwan is unlikely for the time being due to the internal challenges and international pressure that China is facing, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) told the New York Times in an interview shown on Wednesday. “My thought is that perhaps this is not a time for them [China] to consider a major invasion of Taiwan,” Tsai said in a prerecorded interview for the DealBook Summit held by the newspaper on Wednesday. Beijing’s leadership is presently “overwhelmed by its internal challenges” on economic, financial and political grounds, while the international community “has made it loud and clear that war is
EXPOSED: Some Taipei wardens reported joining the trips out of peer pressure, while others said they were relieved it was made public so they could refuse, a city councilor said Nearly 30 percent of Taipei borough wardens have joined group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government, leading prosecutors probing potential Chinese interference in January’s elections to question local officials, an investigation showed. Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City councilors Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) and Chen E-jun (陳怡君) have reported cases of Taipei borough wardens inviting residents to join inexpensive privately organized group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government. The six-day trips reportedly cost NT$10,000 to NT$15,000, the councilors said. An investigation by the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) showed that nearly 30 percent
COUNTER DISINFORMATION: More engagement and media literacy are needed to push back against misinformation and claims that the US is an unreliable partner, the AIT director said The US is “confident” that Taiwan does not face an imminent threat of a Chinese invasion, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk told a US public radio show, adding that Washington remains committed to defensively arming the nation. She made the comment during an interview on All Things Considered, broadcast on Friday on US-based National Public Radio. “There is an important distinction between making plans and training troops, and getting ready to do something,” Oudkirk said, on whether she thinks Beijing plans to attack Taiwan in the near future. Chinese officials have told Washington that “their preference is for peaceful reunification,
RSS