China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) founder Chang An-le (張安樂) was on Tuesday released on NT$300,000 bail after prosecutors questioned him over his involvement in a brawl between CUPP members and police during the Dajia Matsu procession over the weekend.
Chang reported to the Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office at 6pm on Tuesday after being summoned over the scuffle. Chang was released on bail at about 11pm.
Prosecutors questioned him on suspicion of breaching organized crime prevention regulations, obstructing social order and hindering police officers in performing their duties.
Photo: CNA
The incident occurred on Saturday when Chang led party members to welcome a palanquin bearing a statuette of the sea goddess Matsu enshrined in Jenn Lann Temple in Taichung’s Dajia District (大甲) as the annual procession passed through Changhua County, but was blocked by police, who requested COVID-19 vaccination record cards from Chang and the others.
A scuffle ensued between police, members of the party and other people in the crowd, causing injuries to three police officers and leading to the arrest of six people.
The prosecutors’ office issued a subpoena for Chang to answer questions about the incident on Tuesday.
Changhua Police Precinct Chief Wang Kuo-feng (王國峰) said that Chang and the other CUPP members involved could not provide the required vaccine approval card issued by the management of Jenn Lann Temple, the event organizer, to prove that they have had three shots of a COVID-19 vaccine, as required for all participants of the procession.
Chang told reporters before reporting to the office that police should release the full surveillance video footage of the incident for people to “see who was violent.”
“In the past few years, it was fine for us to wear a party vest to greet the palanquin, but Changhua Police Precinct Chief Wang Kuo-feng asked us to take off our vests this year,” Chang said.
Chang added that he asked Wang: “Do you dare ask Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members to take off their vest?” but did not get an answer.
Chang said that in the past few years, it was common for political figures from various parties to wear vests of their party at the annual procession.
Chang said he did not lead the crowd in causing a disturbance, while accusing the police of enforcing the law in a targeted manner.
“Why can’t CUPP members wear party vests during the procession?” he asked, adding that when he tried to speak to police officers involved, they pepper-sprayed him.
The annual Dajia Matsu procession, one of Taiwan’s most-watched religious events, began on Friday at Jenn Lann Temple and is to travel through several counties, including Changhua, before returning to the temple on Sunday.
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