Hengchun Township Councilor Chao Chi-ming (趙記明) is facing an eight-month prison sentence after crashing his car into the gates of a nuclear power plant and threatening police officers, the Pingtung District Prosecutors’ Office said today in a news release.
Chao was protesting the Taiwan Power Co’s (Taipower) Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s failure to immediately alert nearby residents after a fire broke out earlier this month
The fire occurred at the plant in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township (恆春) on March 6, following which Chao rammed his personal vehicle into the gate, prosecutors said.
Photo: Tsai Tsung-hsien
Prosecutors have formally indicted Chao and are seeking a sentence of at least eight months after completing their investigation, they added.
Chao’s actions were in violation of the Criminal Code (犯刑法) and he would be charged for using a powered vehicle to commit a violent act and coercion against public officials which obstructed them from performing their official duties, they said.
The fire broke out at about 11am but was contained within approximately 40 minutes and no one was injured.
That same day at 12:04pm, Chao drove his car to the plant’s front gate and requested entry to inspect the scene of the fire, the investigation found.
Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s Public Relations Manager Chien Chia-yen (簡嘉言) told Chao that he needed a legal permit to enter the site, upon which Chao said, “if you don’t let me in, I’ll crash [my car into the gate],” it found.
Police officers were already stationed at the gate, prosecutors found.
At 12:07pm, Chao rammed his vehicle into the metal gate, causing damage, they said.
A police officer surnamed Chen (陳) ordered Chao to exit his vehicle to prevent a second attempt while a second officer drew his firearm and a third tried to remove Chao from the car, which he resisted, prosecutors said.
Chao then crashed into the gate a second time and pointed his finger at the officers, ordering them to lower their weapons, which constitutes obstructing police from performing their duties, they said.
As an elected public representative, Chao should have been aware of the duties of police stationed at the site to protect critical national infrastructure, they said.
Chao should have utilized legal procedures and official channels to express his concerns and resolve the issue, however he chose to obstruct law enforcement, actions which have sparked public outcry, they added.
The prosecution said that a prison sentence of at least eight months would help to deter copycat incidents, uphold the authority of the criminal justice system and maintain social order.
Chao expressed his surprise at the indictment but said he respects the judicial process, acknowledging that his actions did not set a good example, but were meant to highlight Taipower’s long-standing negligence towards local residents.
Police and firefighters were also denied entry to the site during the fire, which raises concerns about emergency evacuation procedures, he added.
Chao urged the government to review the plant’s safety measures and emergency notification system.
Additional reporting by Tsai Tsung-hsien
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