The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus yesterday issued a list of “Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] atrocities” during Friday’s marathon legislative session and said it would pursue legal action against what it described as “murder.”
The governing and opposition lawmakers engaged in physical scuffles and verbal attacks over legislative reforms on Friday.
As a result of the scuffles, DPP caucus secretary-general Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) had severe ribcage contusions, while among other DPP legislators, Puma Shen (沈伯洋) had a minor concussion, Chuang Ruei-hsiung (莊瑞雄) had chest pains and a lame foot, Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) was severely concussed, Kuo Kuo-wen’s (郭國文) tailbone was fractured, Hsu Chih-chieh’s (許智傑) left hand was dislocated and his leg had multiple injuries, and Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) also had severe contusions, the party said.
Photo: CNA
Wu said the KMT was attempting to mislead the public into thinking the DPP was the initiator of the violence, and lacks a strategy for winning the discussion and the capability to win an argument through logical debate.
She also accused KMT Legislator Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) of attacking Chung by putting him in a chokehold, and KMT Legislator Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯) of using a DPP flag to allegedly strangle DPP Legislator Wang Mei-hui (王美惠), adding that they were clear examples of KMT violence.
Shen said that physical altercations were part of legislative affairs, but added that there should be a bottom line of what not to do.
Some KMT legislators demonstrated that they do not care about such bottom lines, he said, adding that if mutual respect and moral integrity are not observed, Taiwan is in danger of becoming an authoritarian state.
President-elect William Lai (賴清德), who is also DPP chairman, on Facebook yesterday morning thanked DPP lawmakers for standing their ground in defending democracy.
Lai, who is to be inaugurated tomorrow, said he would observe the Constitution and perform the duties conferred upon him by Taiwanese.
Lai also urged all sides in the Legislative Yuan to return to rational discussion.
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