Residents of Daguan Community, slated to be evicted on March 18, have not received answers from the government.
The News Lens
Date: 2019/03/12
By Brian Hioe, 破土 New Bloom
Credit: Brian Hioe
Members of the Daguan Community – a military dependents’ village in New Taipei currently facing eviction – and supportive youth activists demonstrated in the Veterans Affairs Council yesterday. The protest began at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday.
In particular, demonstrators demanded an answer from the Veterans Affairs Council as to whether it intended to negotiate on behalf of residents or provide for their resettlement. However, in the absence of any answer, demonstrators sprayed the inside of the Veterans Affairs Council offices with protest slogans reading “Oppose Eviction,” “Stop the Cranes,” and “Protect Daguan.” [FULL STORY]
Credit: Brian HioeStudent protesters confront police outside of Taiwan’s Veterans Affairs Council.
The ensuing confrontation with police went on for approximately one and a half hours, leading to 20 protesters being arrested and dragged off in police buses. The majority of those arrested were student activists but included two or three Daguan Community residents. In this process, one student activist became ill and was sent to the emergency room.
In the hospital, police prevented media from taking photos of the ill protester, although she was willing to be photographed. Subsequently, once the protester recovered enough to be moved, police took her away for questioning, provoking much outrage from Daguan residents regarding the treatment of a young college student.
