Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday implied that more high-ranking government officials may have to step down to take responsibility for clashes at CKS International Airport on Tuesday.
"Aviation Police Bureau Commissioner Chen Juei-tien (
"However, the investigation is ongoing and we may relieve more high-ranking officials if we figure out that they are responsible for the clashes as well," he said.
PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FENG, TAIPEI TIMESN
Cho made the remarks during a press conference yesterday afternoon after the weekly Cabinet meeting was held in the morning.
Speaking on behalf of the premier, Cho said that Hsieh was upset and said that police should not hold back in enforcing the law just because political heavyweights are on the scene.
"The premier said that he will take full administrative responsibility on behalf of his fellow Cabinet members where necessary. Law enforcement officers must stringently carry out their jobs no matter who is the subject of their work," Cho said.
Cho's comments were in reference to clashes that erupted between pan-blue and pan-green supporters at CKS airport on Tuesday as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Lawmaker Wang Shih-chien (
Cho said that the Assembly and Parade Law (
"On Tuesday, obviously, the police did not strictly enforce the law and that is why the head of the police should be responsible and step down," Cho said.
However, when asked whether Wang will be charged with violating the Assembly and Parade Law, Cho did not answer the question directly.
Law enforcement offices know their responsibilities and will do something about it, he said.
Wang held a separate press conference yesterday morning to explain his behavior at the airport.
He urged the public not to trust any rumors and said that he had not asked fellow supporters to launch any violent attacks to spark clashes.
"We merely wanted to protest against Lien's trip. That is all. My people did not carry any dangerous items and we did not start the fire. I also urge prosecutors to figure this issue out as soon as possible," he said.
Wang also said that Hsieh had called him on Monday to try to dissuade him from protesting at the airport.
Hsieh has nothing to do with this, the lawmaker said.
Cho confirmed that Hsieh had called Wang.
"The premier called him [Wang] around 10pm on Monday because he learned that Wang was planning to protest at the airport after hearing him say so on TV talk shows. He understood that Wang would go anyway but the premier still wanted to try to talk him down," Cho said.
The premier also told Wang not to do anything illegal and said that the government would not tolerate any form of violence, the spokesman said.
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