The drunk driver who rammed his truck into the barricade protecting the front of the Presidential Office on Thursday was confirmed to be a member of the red-clad anti-Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) campaign, the Presidential office said in a press release yesterday.
No one was hurt by the incident, although the bumper and two front wheels of the truck were severely damaged and the gas tanks were punctured.
Su Gai (蘇改), the driver, and Yeh Ching-mu (葉清木), the passenger, were arrested by military police guarding the Presidential Office.
Lee Chin-tien (李金田), director of the Taipei City Police Department's Zhongzheng First Precinct, said on Thursday that Su's blood alcohol level was 0.67mg, higher than the legal limit of 0.25mg, and that Yeh's was even higher -- at 0.99mg.
The Presidential Office said in the press release yesterday that Su was a "red-clad zealot" after the security services had vetted his background.
Su was in charge of keeping order for the "anti-corruption" campaign, and he often spreads anti-Chen views around Yongjhen Road in Yonghe City the Presidential Office said.
The Presidential Office said it condemned violent protests and called on the public to adopt a peaceful and law-abiding approach when expressing their political views.
With Taiwan's National Day approaching, the Presidential Office suggested police step up their vigilance to stop similar incidents from taking place by possible extremists from the "anti-corruption" campaign.
Yao Li-ming (姚立明), deputy director of the campaign, yesterday condemned the Presidential Office for distorting the incident and humiliating innocent people.
"This government made groundless accusations and twisted a simple incident. I think the President Office's move only highlights the government's incompetence," Yao said.
Additional reporting by Mo Yan-chih
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