Thousands of protestors gathered outside the Legislative Yuan on Tuesday as lawmakers voted on a set of controversial legislative reform bills.
Organized by the Economic Democracy Union, about 42 groups joined the demonstration, including the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, World United Formosans for Independence and Citizen Congress Watch.
They were demanding that the bills be sent back to committee for deliberation, as opposition lawmakers voted in the morning to pass certain provisions to a third reading.
Photo: CNA
The amendments seek to introduce a “contempt of legislature” clause that would see civil servants fined and potentially jailed for asking lawmakers questions or answering lawmakers in a way deemed untruthful.
They also aim to expand the legislature’s powers of investigation and require the president to submit to question-and-answer sessions.
The union estimated that more than 5,000 people were in attendance at the protest, stretching to Zhongshan S Road.
Photo: Lin Che-yuan, Taipei Times
People began arriving at about 6am at the side entrance to the legislature on Qingdao E Road, and plan to stay until midnight as lawmakers extended the session.
About 200 police were dispatched to maintain order and direct traffic.
Drag queen Nymphia Wind, winner of the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, also joined the protesters wearing a ribbon around her neck reading “Taiwan is my country.”
“As Taiwanese people, I believe we must stand up for ourselves,” she shouted while holding a bouquet of sunflowers in reference to the 2014 student protests against another controversial bill.
“I respect the legislature, but I wish the legislature would do the respectable thing and respect the democratic process,” she said.
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