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《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Attack on Ker Chien-ming condemned

Protesters throw water at DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming as he leaves the Legislative Yuan building in Taipei yesterday.

Protesters throw water at DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming as he leaves the Legislative Yuan building in Taipei yesterday.

2016/12/03 03:00

‘CRIMINAL OFFENSE’: DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming said he felt that Taiwan’s democracy has come to an end following a scuffle with protesters outside the legislature

By Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its legislative caucus, as well as the Executive Yuan and Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全), yesterday condemned an incident in which DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) was pushed to the ground outside the Legislative Yuan by people protesting against proposed amendments to the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法).

Dozens of protesters yesterday morning gathered outside the Legislative Yuan building’s gate on Qingdao E Road, shouting against the proposed amendments, especially the proposed cut of seven national holidays.

Around noon, the protesters saw Ker on Zhenjiang Street after he left the Legislative Yuan building to go to his office. The group pushed against a police barricade at the intersection of Qingdao E Road and Zhenjiang Street, threw water at Ker and pushed him to the ground.

Ker was escorted back to the Legislative Yuan building, while the protesters continued the push against the barricade, where people said that they had been hurt.

The demonstrators also reportedly threw several smoke grenades to an area cordoned off by police officers on Zhenjiang Street.

Ker later said that he was kicked and was also hit by a water bottle hurled at him.

“What kind of democracy and progressive value is it when lawmakers proposing amendments are subjected to calls of recall and are beaten when legislating controversial bills?” Ker asked, adding that he felt that “Taiwan’s democracy has come to an end.”

Ker was recently criticized by people supporting same-sex marriage for proposing special legislation for gay couples — which many consider to be implicit discrimination — rather than amending the Civil Code.

He said that when he was surrounded by the protesters, police officers standing nearby did not come to his aid, but instead asked his assistant to find the officer in charge.

“The police officers’ way of handling the issue indeed requires serious investigation,” he said.

DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lee Chun-yee (李俊毅) said violent protests “offer no help to policy discussion that could instead be undertaken with opinions expressed rationally and peacefully,” and called on prosecutors and police to investigate the incident, “which constituted a criminal offense,” without delay.

The attack was a sign of democratic regression, Lee said, adding that “Taiwanese would not support the use of banned materials, such as smoke bombs, which could have hurt civilians and police officers.”

The DPP demands an apology from the labor groups that organized the protest, he said.

The DPP caucus also held a news conference denouncing the attack, with DPP caucus director-general Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) saying Ker’s retinue were also hurt during the tussle.

The group stirred up trouble by throwing smoke grenades and threatened to ram Ker with a car parked at the intersection, Wu said, adding that the actions of a small group of people would cost whatever room was left for negotiation.

The Executive Yuan and Su issued statements condemning the violence, with the speaker adding that he felt “heart-stricken to see a lawmaker being subject to intimidation for carrying out his legislative duty.”

Presidential Office spokesperson Alex Huang (黃重諺) said President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was concerned after she heard about the incident and asked Presidential Office Acting Secretary-General Jason Liu (劉建忻) to call Ker to express her wishes for the caucus whip’s recovery and also asked about his assistants’ condition.

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) issued a news release saying that while the party is against violence, taking to the streets was the last resort that people were left with and they cannot take it anymore, adding that workers would not have gone on a hunger strike if the government was not dismissive of their demands.

Meanwhile, protester Kuo Kuan-chun (郭冠均), referring to a Facebook post by DPP Legislator Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) stating that the protesters intended to run Ker over with a car, said Tuan’s accusation was groundless, adding that nothing of the kind was considered.

Kuo said the protesters wanted to ask Ker about his decision on the proposed amendments when they saw him on Qingdao E Road, adding that the scuffle broke out after police tried to clear a path through the group.

The protesters drove the vehicle, on which speakers were mounted, toward Ker to better deliver their questions to him, who was shielded by police, Kuo said, adding that the accusation that they intended to run Ker over was ridiculous.

Additional reporting by Cheng Hung-ta and CNA

新聞來源:TAIPEI TIMES

Demonstrators protesting against proposed amendments to the Labor Standards Act set off smoke bombs during scuffles with the police outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times

Demonstrators protesting against proposed amendments to the Labor Standards Act set off smoke bombs during scuffles with the police outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times

DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, center, reacts during a scuffle in front of the Legislative Yuan building in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: AFP/CNA

DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, center, reacts during a scuffle in front of the Legislative Yuan building in Taipei yesterday. Photo: AFP/CNA

Demonstrators yesterday clash with police in Taipei during a protest against controversial amendments to the Labor Standards Act.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times

Demonstrators yesterday clash with police in Taipei during a protest against controversial amendments to the Labor Standards Act. Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times

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