DPP calls rally 'historic'; sit-in continues

The large-scale rally organized by the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to vent anger over what they alleged as President Ma Ying-jeou's overtures to China was carried out peacefully despite the estimated 200,000 protesters brought in from all around Taiwan.

However, a traffic accident in the evening created a new crescendo for the remaining protesters who decided to camp out on the plaza, which is also known as the “Anti-Corruption Democracy Plaza” to remind people of determination and efforts against corruption of government agencies and public servants.

Opposition supporters marched through downtown Taipei in the afternoon to protest President Ma's policy of engagement with China, claiming that the policy has threatened to compromise Taiwan's sovereignty.

The street demonstration came three days before Ma's first anniversary as the chief of state.

The demonstrators, split into four groups, began at 2:00 p.m. to march toward Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office from four different places — National Taiwan University, Dinghau Square on Zhongxiao E. Road, Zhongshan Soccer Stadium and Wanhu Railway Station.

The first group of protesters, headed by former Vice President Annette Lu, burst a large red balloon in front of the ruling Kuomintang's headquarters to symbolize the party's opposition to Ma's allegedly China-leaning policy.

The second column of demonstrators, led by former Premier Frank Hsieh, tossed large paper planes made from blank personal resumes when they passed the Council of Labor Affairs, to express their fury at the high unemployment rate amid the current economic downturn.

The third group, headed by Tsai Ing-wen, incumbent DPP chairwoman, released black balloons in front of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to protest what they called an invasion of substandard Chinese products.

The fourth group, led by former Premier Su Tseng-chang, littered the area in front of the Council of Agriculture with mock agricultural equipment and popped black balloons to symbolize their protest against the government's flawed import control of Chinese farm produce.

After all four groups of protesters reached Ketagalan Boulevard near the Presidential Office Plaza at around 6 p.m., DPP heavyweights took turns in addressing the rally.

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