Dozens injured as protesters hurl rocks, bricks and full water bottles in Taipei streets
Lawrence Chung in Taipei 7 November 2008
Thousands of pro-independence supporters in Taiwan, hurling rocks, bricks and full water bottles, clashed with police yesterday in a protest against mainland negotiator Chen Yunlin in which dozens were injured.
Blowing air horns and chanting slogans through loudhailers, the protesters shouted, “Safeguard our sovereignty” and “Get lost, communist bandit Chen” as they rallied near the Taipei Guest House, where Mr Chen was to meet Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou.
The protesters, mobilised by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), turned violent when they found Mr Ma had met Mr Chen and left the meeting venue after bringing the scheduled time forward from yesterday afternoon to the morning.
“Back off. Back off,” they shouted, as they pushed down four layers of barbed-wire barricades, blocking one access to the presidential office.
Despite repeated appeals for peace and calm by DPP organisers, protesters attacked police with clubs and bricks, leaving at least 42 officers injured, Taipei police said.
Police precinct chief Tsai Chuang-po, whose lips were bloodied after he was hit in the face by an object, shouted: “Peace. There’s no need to get violent.” Another officer suffered an eye injury when one of the lenses of his glasses shattered.
A Taiwanese journalist was hit on the forehead by a piece of rock. “It just landed ... from out of nowhere,” she said as she was taken to hospital, the wound needing eight stitches, and she was also treated for concussion. Eleven other journalists were slightly injured after being hit by objects.
One man was chased and beaten by a group of protesters who suspected he was a plain-clothes policeman. The victim was kicked and punched until he collapsed on the ground, where he was stripped of his shirt and shoes.
A number of protesters, including some DPP lawmakers, were also injured, even though party chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen had pledged that the protest would be peaceful.
Ms Tsai, standing in a truck labelled “Democracy Tank”, said: “This is not the end, but the start, of [our protest] against the impotent [Ma] government and tyrannical Chinese government. There will be more protests in the future.”
She said the DPP was doing this “for the future of Taiwanese people” and “defending Taiwanese sovereignty and human rights”.
As she spoke, several hundred protesters, led by some DPP elected officials, moved towards the Grand Hotel, where Mr Chen was staying. “Let’s go there to tell him Taiwan is Taiwan and China is China,” shouted a protester who led the crowd.
But the protesters were blocked several kilometres from the hotel, where police laid more barbed wire.
Mr Chen, who is to return to Beijing today after a five-day visit during which he held talks with his Taiwanese counterpart Chiang Pin-kung on cross-strait economic co-operation, hosted a banquet at the Grand Hotel to thank his hosts.
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DPP backers in bloody clashes with police
Dozens injured as protesters hurl rocks, bricks and full water bottles in Taipei streets
Lawrence Chung in Taipei
7 November 2008
Thousands of pro-independence supporters in Taiwan, hurling rocks, bricks and full water bottles, clashed with police yesterday in a protest against mainland negotiator Chen Yunlin in which dozens were injured.
Blowing air horns and chanting slogans through loudhailers, the protesters shouted, “Safeguard our sovereignty” and “Get lost, communist bandit Chen” as they rallied near the Taipei Guest House, where Mr Chen was to meet Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou.
The protesters, mobilised by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), turned violent when they found Mr Ma had met Mr Chen and left the meeting venue after bringing the scheduled time forward from yesterday afternoon to the morning.
“Back off. Back off,” they shouted, as they pushed down four layers of barbed-wire barricades, blocking one access to the presidential office.
Despite repeated appeals for peace and calm by DPP organisers, protesters attacked police with clubs and bricks, leaving at least 42 officers injured, Taipei police said.
Police precinct chief Tsai Chuang-po, whose lips were bloodied after he was hit in the face by an object, shouted: “Peace. There’s no need to get violent.” Another officer suffered an eye injury when one of the lenses of his glasses shattered.
A Taiwanese journalist was hit on the forehead by a piece of rock. “It just landed ... from out of nowhere,” she said as she was taken to hospital, the wound needing eight stitches, and she was also treated for concussion. Eleven other journalists were slightly injured after being hit by objects.
One man was chased and beaten by a group of protesters who suspected he was a plain-clothes policeman. The victim was kicked and punched until he collapsed on the ground, where he was stripped of his shirt and shoes.
A number of protesters, including some DPP lawmakers, were also injured, even though party chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen had pledged that the protest would be peaceful.
Ms Tsai, standing in a truck labelled “Democracy Tank”, said: “This is not the end, but the start, of [our protest] against the impotent [Ma] government and tyrannical Chinese government. There will be more protests in the future.”
She said the DPP was doing this “for the future of Taiwanese people” and “defending Taiwanese sovereignty and human rights”.
As she spoke, several hundred protesters, led by some DPP elected officials, moved towards the Grand Hotel, where Mr Chen was staying. “Let’s go there to tell him Taiwan is Taiwan and China is China,” shouted a protester who led the crowd.
But the protesters were blocked several kilometres from the hotel, where police laid more barbed wire.
Mr Chen, who is to return to Beijing today after a five-day visit during which he held talks with his Taiwanese counterpart Chiang Pin-kung on cross-strait economic co-operation, hosted a banquet at the Grand Hotel to thank his hosts.
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