Veterans’ group 800 Heroes vice commander-in-chief Wu Sz-huai (吳斯懷) and two other veterans yesterday reported to the Taipei Police Department’s Zhongzheng First Precinct for questioning, as police investigated whether they had incited protesters to resort to violence or engage in other illegal activities during a rally against planned pension reforms for military personnel last month.
At a demonstration outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on April 25, 32 police officers and 11 journalists were injured as protesters tried to break into the legislature.
Many journalists said they were attacked or had their cameras vandalized by protesters who demanded that they stop filming or photographing.
Photo: CNA
Before reporting to the police, Wu told reporters that as “law-obeying veterans,” they would follow all legal procedures and that they hoped the evidence would attest to their innocence.
He displayed photographs of older people being pressed on the ground and allegedly punched by Thunder Squad officers as evidence that they had been mistreated by the police.
“The government conducted a violent crackdown during our legal demonstration. These are old people in their 60s and 70s, was it necessary to have three to four young Thunder Squad officers holding them down?” he said, adding that the pictures were only the tip of the iceberg.
“President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration treats us like disposable chopsticks. Why would old veterans in their 60s and 70s go on the street to protest? We are not merely fighting for our pensions. What we want is to safeguard the Constitution, national security, as well as the honor and dignity of military personnel,” he said.
While yesterday’s demonstration only saw about 200 people participating, many of them walked to Zhongzheng First Precinct with Wu to show their support.
Earlier yesterday, retired major general Huang Tung-hui (黃冬輝), who had also been summoned by police, reported to Zhongzheng First Precinct for questioning.
Huang denied having incited others to attack the police or other people, adding that he was not instructed to do anything during the demonstration.
His actions were unrelated to 800 Heroes, he said.
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