Taiwan People's Party protests in solidarity with detained party leader Ko Wen-je
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Loading... - Haoran Tang
- 11 Sep 2024
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Supporters of the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) held a significant protest in Taipei on Sunday, September 8, in solidarity with their detained party leader, Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). The protest, which was organized by the TPP, followed a call for action on Friday, September 6, encouraging supporters, known as "Little Sprouts," to rally in support of Ko. Silent protests took place on Friday and Saturday, leading up to the larger demonstration on Sunday.
By 7 p.m. on Sunday, the crowd outside the Legislative Yuan had grown to over 11,000 people, according to UDN reports. The protestors, many dressed in white T-shirts and teal headbands, expressed their dissatisfaction with the current administration and the judicial system, which they believe has been compromised.
Earlier in the day, the TPP held a press conference at their Taipei headquarters, where Huang Kuo-cheng (黃國昌), head of the party's Emergency Response Committee, voiced concerns about the erosion of public trust in the judicial system. He indicated that Sunday's mobilization was only the beginning and that the TPP would continue to push for political reform.
The protestors were emotional and passionate, with speakers on stage declaring that Ko Wen-je was being persecuted and expressing concerns about Taiwan's future. Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑), a Kuomintang member and CEO of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, also spoke at the event, criticizing the judicial process and the apparent political interference in Ko's case.
Many TPP supporters believe that the current administration, led by President Lai Ching-te, is unfairly targeting Ko for actions that other public officials have previously undertaken without facing similar consequences. TPP Legislator Chen Chih-han (陳智菡) criticized both the media and the prosecutors, asserting that the case against Ko would spark a movement for justice and reform in Taiwan.
