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Students face charges
after protesting against Ma
By Chen Chien-chih and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
Security staff remove a student
protester who interrupted an address by President Ma Ying-jeou at the opening of
a new art gallery at Asia University in Greater Taichung yesterday.
Photo: Liao Yao-tung, Taipei Times
Three students yesterday were brought to a
police station for alleged violations of the Social Order Maintenance Act
(社會秩序維護法) after two of them lifted up posters protesting President Ma Ying-jeou’s
(馬英九) policies and the third assisted by passing out flyers at an event that Ma
attended.
The incident took place at the opening ceremony of the Asia
University-affiliated Asian Museum of Modern Art in Greater Taichung, created by
renowned Japanese designer Tadao Ando, where security had been tightened due to
multiple incidents in recent days in which the president had shoes thrown at
him.
All personal bags that were brought into the ceremony area were searched and no
water or containers for liquids were allowed in.
Despite the tight security, two students from the university, surnamed Huang (黃)
and Chi (紀), suddenly stood up while Ma was giving a speech and unfolded their
posters, one of which read: “Establish clear channels of communication and a
public stance on issues,” while the other said: “No to black-box operations,
amendments, breach of human rights.”
The students then ran toward the stage while shouting: “No to autocratic
government, affirm the people’s efforts,” causing a stir among the crowd.
When they were taken outside by the security teams, Huang and Chi shouted: “We
have our rights of freedom of speech.”
At the same time, a third student, surnamed Liu (劉), had been handing out
protest flyers outside the auditorium and was also taken to the police station.
Although Ma continued with his speech, the incident, which occurred in front of
Ando and 150 Japanese guests, apparently greatly embarrassed him.
Wufeng Precinct police chief Yu Hui-mao (余輝茂) said that because the three
protesters had not applied for a permit allowing them to protest in a restricted
area in which their actions may have posed a danger to the head of state, they
were taken away by security, in line with the Special Service Act (特種勤務條例).
After consulting with prosecutors, the police said the case had been forwarded
to the Greater Taichung District Court on charges of violating Article 68 of the
Social Order Maintenance Act.
The three female students were released in the company of their lawyers after
questioning.
University Academic Affairs director Chang Shao-liang (張少樑) said that while the
university respected students’ rights to express their opinions, the timing of
such expressions required some more thought.
The museum — which took six years to build — is an important project both for
the school and the nation, Chang said, adding that the president’s appearance
yesterday was in the capacity of a guest of honor representing the state.
That university students chose to stage a protest against an invited guest
during a ceremony is inappropriate and whether the students would be punished by
the school is up to its disciplinary committee, Chang said.
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