The New School for Democracy yesterday said it would hold the person who vandalized a replica of the Pillar of Shame sculpture accountable and demand an apology from them.
The original sculpture, created by Danish artist Jens Galschiot, was installed at the University of Hong Kong for 23 years before authorities destroyed it on Dec. 22 last year for allegedly contravening Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
With the artist’s approval, a replica was made and unveiled at a memorial in Taipei for the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4. It is now part of an exhibition held by the New School for Democracy in remembrance of the 1989 democratic uprising in China.
Photo Courtesy of the New School for Democracy
At 8:55am yesterday, black paint was found sprayed across the pillar. After reviewing surveillance footage in the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Taipei City Police Department’s Zhongheng First Precinct identified and arrested a suspect.
New School for Democracy chairman Tseng Chien-yuan (曾建元) said that previous Tiananmen Square memorial events have been disrupted by similar incidents, adding that a mentally disabled person was once told to knock down an artwork on display.
Yesterday’s incident was meant as a warning to Taiwanese that they should not discuss the incident, Tseng said, adding that “if they succeed in silencing Taiwanese, they could silence Chinese around the world.”
The political rights group said in statement that it condemns all forms of violence, whether it be the Tiananmen Square Massacre in Beijing, the destruction of the Pillar of Shame last year in Hong Kong or the defacement of the 3D-printed Pillar of Shame replica in Taipei, and would never compromise on the matter.
“We will insist on pursuing legal and political responsibility for the perpetrator and their accomplices, and demand an apology,” it said.
“The act of vandalism not only destroys the artwork, but also supports all atrocities and crimes against humanity. It also challenges Taiwan’s constitutional order that guarantees creativity, freedom of thought and freedom of assembly,” it added.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a southwestern extension of the Sanying MRT Line from New Taipei to Bade District (八德) in Taoyuan, with a goal of starting construction by late 2026. The 4.03-kilometer extension, featuring three new stations, will run from the current terminus at Yingtao Fude Station (LB12) in New Taipei City to Dannan Station (LB14), where it will connect with Taoyuan’s Green Line, New Taipei City Metro Corp said in a statement. This extension will follow the completion of core Sanying Line, a 14.29-kilometer medium-capacity system linking Tucheng (土城), Sansia (三峽)