The nation’s top police officer, Wang Cho-chiun (王卓鈞), has been accused by legislators of covering up police assaults on people who took part in the Sunflower movement in March and April.
Legislators at a meeting of the legislature’s Internal Administration committee in Taipei grilled Wang, director-general of the National Police Agency, on why no progress had been made on investigations into alleged violent attacks by police officers on unarmed protesters.
Pointed questions were raised by Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Legislator Chou Ni-an (周倪安), who was hospitalized for weeks after allegedly being beaten and injured by police officers as she tried to protect students on the night of March 23, during an attempt by factions of the Sunflower movement to occupy the Executive Yuan.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
Chou asked Wang if he had found out who had attacked her, to which Wang said he had not, saying he was unable to do so.
“I believe you did not try to find out who was responsible for the assault on me,” Chou said, accusing Wang and his force of covering up the matter and applying double standards to incidents involving police officers.
“The assault against me by the police caused serious injuries and now, half a year later, I am still suffering from the effects and have to take medicine everyday,” she said.
“However, let’s look at the case of the gang attack on the police detective [at Taipei’s Spark ATT nightclub]. The surveillance camera captured pictures of the crowd with many unknown persons at the scene, but the police were able to identify the individuals and apprehend them within a short time,” Chou said.
She said that Wang was covering up the alleged March assaults and harboring the alleged perpetrators from prosecution.
“At least five police officers attacked me that night, but Wang and the National Police Agency want to whitewash the whole thing, as though nothing happened,” she said.
Chou then demanded the agency act within 24 hours to identify those responsible and have them apologize to her and the TSU.
Wang responded by promising to find out within a week, adding that he had already made an apology to Chou.
However, the TSU legislator was not satisfied.
“The police agencies are always protecting their own men and they seldom face up to the real issues,” she said.
Also yesterday, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office summoned two protesters from the night of March 23, who face charges of obstructing a police officer.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Huang Di-ying (黃帝穎) condemned the judiciary for bullying people, while sparing police officers who allegedly commit assault.
“It is selected prosecution against citizens. It is unjust and an abuse of authority’s privilege and negligence of their official duties,” Huang said.
Huang said the images of police officers wielding truncheons in attacking peaceful protesters and leaving them bleeding and injured that night were shown around the world, horrifying many people.
“Wang said that due to his inability, he could not find those who perpetrated the assault, yet the injured citizens are now being charged by the judiciary. This is a case of the authorities oppressing the citizens, while shrugging off any responsibility for police officers who violently attacked and injured citizens. It is unethical and a miscarriage of justice,” Huang said.
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