Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) said yesterday the city government would mobilize traffic police and civil servants to provide assistance in reducing the impact of the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) upcoming rally.
Hau reiterated that the city government would handle the rally and 24-hour sit-in protest tomorrow and on Monday with a “soft approach,” but warned the DPP that it had to take full responsibility for the social cost of its actions.
The mayor said the DPP was being “irresponsible” in refusing to apply for permission to use Ketagalan Boulevard on Monday.
“I am puzzled and sorry that the DPP has refused to apply for a road permit for Monday. A responsible party should not take such actions,” Hau told a press conference at Taipei City Hall.
To reduce the rally's impact on traffic and public order in areas surrounding the Presidential Office tomorrow and on Monday, the city government will form an emergency response center at Taipei City's Police Department and a command center at the Chiehshou police station, Hau said.
More than 1,000 traffic police, teachers and staffers at the city's environmental protection, health and fire departments will be deployed to direct traffic, accompany students to schools, clean up and provide assistance if case of emergencies during the rally, he said.
“Such a large-scale rally will affect traffic around the area, and the DPP should take responsibility for the huge social cost we have to pay,” Hau said.
Mindful of DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) statement that she was prepared to be carried away by the police during the rally, Hau urged the DPP to organize a peaceful demonstration.
“DPP leaders and officials should be prepared to lead a peaceful and rational rally,” he said.
Chen Ming-cheng (陳銘政), director of Zhongzheng First Police Division, declined to comment on whether police would use barricades during the rally. He also refused to say whether police would disperse the protesters if they did not leave on Monday.
Taipei City Police Department's traffic division said that Ketagalan Boulevard would be closed to traffic starting at 8am tomorrow, while Hangzhou N and S roads, Civic Boulevard, Zhonghua Road, Heping E Road and Heping W Road would be closed from 12pm.
More than 70 of the bus services around the city will be rerouted tomorrow. Information on the temporary routes will be posted on bus stops. Passengers can also call Taipei Citizen Hotline at 1999 for information, Taipei City's Transportation Department said.
On Monday, the transportation department will offer free shuttle services at select MRT stations for students at nearby schools. These will be at Exit 1 of Ximen Station and Exit 1 of National Taiwan University Hospital Station at 6:30am, 12pm and 4pm. Students can also find volunteer teachers at the MRT's Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station on Monday to walk them to school, it said.
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