A set of events are planned for tomorrow to mark the one-year anniversary of the overnight occupation of the Executive Yuan’s (EY) main building and compound, an offshoot of the student-led Sunflower movement, which saw a violent crackdown that left several hundreds of protesters injured.
“The events will let us think back to what happened when we participated in the movement between March 18 and April 10 and exchange views on its impacts,” said Wu Cheng (吳崢), a student participant in the movement, which reflected public concerns over cross-strait ties forged under President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
Now a leader of Democracy Tautin (民主鬥陣), one of the many youth activist groups that sprouted from the movement centering on the 24-day occupation of the legislature’s main chamber, Wu said: “It’s important that Sunflower participants recollect why were we there, what we realized at that time that drive us to take part in the movement.”
The crackdown ordered by then-premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and outgoing National Police Agency director-general Wang Cho-chiun (王卓鈞) on midnight March 23 last year that forcibly dispersed protesters from the Executive Yuan by early morning should never be forgotten, Wu told a press conference.
Wu said the Sunflower movement was an act of civil disobedience action and should not have been regarded as a riot and treated with violent use of force by police.
The events, to be held from 3pm to 10pm on the section of Qingdao E Road between Zhongshan S Road and Zhenjiang Street, next to the legislature where thousands of protesters had gathered during the siege, is to bring together photographs, video, written stories and drawings collected from the public and feature stalls, forums and performances by bands to recreate the movement.
Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan convener Tsay Ting-kuei (蔡丁貴) said the events would remind the public of what the protesters had advocated and continue to advocate for.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said the legacy the Sunflower movement has left is worthy of reflection.
Huang said Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) has taken measures to address the problem of excessive use of force by police by demanding officers keep their badges visible when enforcing the law.
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