Assembly act to be amended

Under the current act, organizers have to file applications with police at least six days before the rally is to take place. Police permission is required.

With the amendment, which has to be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for adoption, the new assembly act requires organizers to report their rally plan to police authorities five days in advance. No permission is required.

In extenuating circumstances, reports can be filed in less than five days before the rally is staged, said Chien Tai-lang, vice minister of the interior.

That fulfils one demand college students who call themselves Wild Strawberries in a sit-in protest at the Liberty Plaza since November 7, were making.

They also demanded that President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Liu Chao-shiuan apologize for the police brutality against demonstrators while Chen Yunlin, China’s top negotiator on Taiwan affairs, and his 60-member delegation were visiting Taipei.

In addition, Wild Strawberries demanded Wang Chuo-chun to step down as director-general of the National Police Agency.

Chen and his delegates arrived on November 3. He signed four agreements with his counterpart P.K. Chiang on shortened air routes, direct maritime shipping, better postal service and food safety on November 6.

Bloody clashes took place between Democratic Progressive Party supporters and riot police before Chen and his delegation left for Beijing after completing their visit here on November 7.

Moreover, Chien said, the act has amended places restrictions on police to dispel protesters.

Police cannot dispel crowds and change their routes of marches unless there is clear and imminent danger to public safety, Chien said.

“Unless there are two groups of demonstrators whose routes are so close that there may be threat to public safety,” Chien said, “the police authorities are not entitled to change their routes and the time of the rallies, nor can they order dispersion.”

The current law set off-limits areas for marchers. They are forbidden to assemble within 300 meters of the Office of the President, five Yuan, international airports and seaports, and military installations.

“We are going to review this rigid requirement,” Chien said. “New criteria are under study,” he added, “but we are certain that the distance between crowds and those offices and ports will be shortened.”

Police are able to forcibly disperse crowds only when violence occurs, traffic regulations are violated, or demonstrators intrude into the off-limits areas, Chien pointed out.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email