“Bluebird movement” groups yesterday tried but failed several times to break into the Legislative Yuan as they sought to disrupt opposition legislators’ attempt to pass amendments to laws governing the recalling of elected officials, the Constitutional Court and government revenue.
Smaller protests were also held in Taichung and Kaohsiung against the proposed amendments to the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法) and the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures (財政收支劃分法).
Speeches began at the protests in the morning, with organizers saying more than 15,000 people were at the Taipei rally by evening.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
Protesters removed metal barricades in clashes with police at about 11:30am as they tried to access the Legislative Yuan from a side entrance on Jinan Road, a move reminiscent of the Sunflower movement 10 years ago.
After 4pm, groups at the front entrance on Zhongshan S Road attempted to get inside, but were repelled by police.
Among the protesters was independence advocate Rishen Wu (吳日昇), who said that strong coordinated efforts are needed like when Sunflower movement protesters in 2014 climbed over the gates to occupy the main legislative chamber to stop the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) “from dismantling Taiwan’s democracy.”
Photo: CNA
It was the third day of protests against the attempts to pass the three amendments.
Dubbed the “Bluebird wintertime action,” the protests were organized by Taiwan Citizen Front and the Economic Democracy Union, with other groups, independence advocates and members of small political parties, including the New Power Party (NPP), the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, the Green Party and the Taiwan Obasang Political Equality Party attending.
“We have seen violent conduct and violation of proper procedures by the KMT, led by caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅?萁),” Economic Democracy Union convener Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強) told reporters in the afternoon. “Ramming through votes on third readings is Fu’s way, which he copies from the Chinese Communist Party.”
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
“We want to thank all Democratic Progressive Party [DPP] legislators for laying their bodies in harm’s way to try and stop the voting,” Lai added. “While the three bills will likely pass their third readings, we must fight on to defend Taiwan’s freedom and democracy. So I urge the DPP to appeal for legal injunctions and file for constitutional interpretations on these three bills.”
NPP Chairwoman Claire Wang (王婉諭) on social media called on protesters to stay overnight at the legislature “to show people’s anger about such abuse of power.”
Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) appreciates that people took to the streets to safeguard democracy and hopes that Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) could put aside controversial bills that make people anxious.
More than 100 people gathered at Taichung Railway Station holding placards saying: “We are here to protect Taiwan,” “Down with the KMT bill to undermine the Constitutional Court” and “against the expenditure bill for disbursing funds locally to win elections.”
Dozens assembled at a park in Kaohsiung, carrying placards accusing the KMT of using “martial law tactics.”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Kaohsiung at 1pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. The epicenter was in Jiasian District (甲仙), 72.1km north-northeast of Kaohsiung City Hall, at a depth of 7.8km, agency data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in Kaohsiung and Tainan, where it measured a 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale. It also measured a 3 in parts of Chiayi City, as well as Pingtung, Yunlin and Hualien counties, data showed.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
RSS