Taipei: The Taipei District Prosecutors Office has indicted ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chung Chia-pin for allegedly cutting steel cables securing a police guardrail during a rally in December 2024.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chung, along with an individual surnamed Huang, has been charged with damaging property entrusted to public officials for official duties. The incident occurred during a rally outside the Legislative Yuan on December 20, 2024, which was organized to protest votes on three controversial legislative amendments.
Prosecutors revealed that the Taipei City Police Department's Zhongzheng First Precinct had set up guardrails along the sidewalk on the north side of Jinan Road, secured with steel cables, to maintain order during the rally. Chung and Huang reportedly broke two of these cables, rendering them unusable.
Chung admitted to cutting the cables but denied criminal liability, asserting that he removed the guardrail to allow an ambulance to reach injured individuals. His lawyer argued that Chung was exercising his right of resistance to prevent what was described as the tyranny of the opposition majority in passing unfavorable legislation, framing it as an expression of political opinion.
Prosecutors rejected this argument, noting that several lawmakers injured in clashes that day did not suffer serious or life-threatening injuries, and medical personnel were present at the scene. They highlighted that DPP lawmakers Lin Chu-yin and Chen Pei-yu had already been taken to the hospital without difficulty in arranging emergency assistance.
Prosecutors contended that there was no evidence of imminent or continuing harm to anyone's life, physical safety, freedom, or property at the time, and therefore, Chung and Huang could not justify cutting the cables as a necessary action to prevent an emergency. They emphasized that while the constitutional protection of freedom of speech is significant, it is not without limits.
The prosecution argued that the right of resistance, which may involve illegal measures, is only applicable in "extremely serious illegal situations" as a last resort. They concluded that the actions of Chung and Huang did not meet this threshold.
In response to the indictment, Chung stated that he had cooperated fully with the investigation and respected the judicial process.