Trees Party Secretary-General Lee Chien-ming (李建明) yesterday said that Chan Ho-yeung (陳皓揚) — who has admitted to killing stray cats — was “unrepentant” and “conceited” after a court appearance on Tuesday.
There were disturbances outside the court again after Chan’s first court appearance on Aug. 16, after which animal rights activists and members of the public broke a police cordon to allegedly punch the suspect, a student from Macau who was completing his graduate degree at the National Taiwan University when he allegedly beat two cats to death.
“Yes, Chan has the right to press charges [for assault], but he has shown himself to be a repeat offender, torturing and killing cats,” Lee said. “The law must come down on him and he must bear the legal responsibility.”
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
Chan admitted to the cat incidents and did not object to an indictment over breaches of the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) and also told the court that he was injured in the Aug. 16 incident.
He said he had gone to hospital and obtained an injury report.
Chan asked if he could sue the alleged assailants, to which judges said: “You can file a complaint with the police and press charges at the prosecutors’ office.”
When asked to clarify his intentions, Chan said: “I do not plan to press charges, but that I was beaten up by some people and so I have learned my lesson. I am regretful for my actions, so I hope the judges can have leniency and give me a light sentence.”
Animal rights activists and netizens expressed anger at Chan’s words, labeling him a “serial cat killer” with a serious mental problem.
They called him a “murderer” who should be jailed for “barbaric killings of animals,” adding that they could not believe he had the gall to ask for leniency.
“He does not deserve a lenient sentence just because he was beaten up by some people at a court appearance,” Lee said.
Chan was accompanied to court on Tuesday by his family and friends, along with a private security guard, where a group of people called Chan “human trash,” while others yelled: “Is it right to kill cats for fun?”
During one confrontation, the security guard appeared to be punched in the face by a TV cameraman.
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