Thursday, April 26, 2012

DPP, TSU hope to ‘merge’ anti-Ma rallies

By Chris Wang  /  Staff reporter

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) yesterday unveiled their preliminary plans for massive protests against President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in Taipei on May 19 and May 20.

While the parties are planning their rallies separately, the protests could become a round-the-clock “two-in-one” event beginning on May 19 and continuing throughout Ma’s scheduled inauguration ceremony the next morning.

According to DPP spokesperson Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲), the DPP protest on May 19, which expects an attendance of 100,000 people, would include three routes, with assembly points at National Taiwan University, Wanhua Railway Station and the Songshan Tobacco Plant.

Protesters would assemble at the intersection of Beiping E Road and Linsen N Road, where a rally is scheduled to be held in the evening, Lin said, adding that all individuals and civic groups are welcome to join the protest.

The TSU-organized demonstration, which would begin where the DPP holds its night rally and end in front of the Presidential Office, would act like the “second leg” of the mass protest.

“The TSU calls on the protesters at the DPP event to stay the night and begin the march toward the plaza in front of the Presidential Office on the morning of May 20, when Ma is scheduled to be inaugurated,” TSU Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉) said.

Lin Chih-chia said his party has been in close comunication with the DPP and he hoped that the two events would “connect seamlessly.”

The TSU protest plans to begin at Beiping E Road and end on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office so people could voice their displeasure at Ma on his inauguration day, he said.

However, people would have to break through the barriers set up by security around a large restricted zone, Lin Chih-chia said.