Protesters who vandalized the tomb of a former nationalist ruler in Taiwan have been charged in a case that highlights divided opinion on how to deal with
TAIPEI – Protesters who vandalized the tomb of a former nationalist ruler in Taiwan have been charged in a case that highlights divided opinion on how to deal with the island’s authoritarian past.
Ten people splashed red paint on Chiang Kai-shek’s coffin in late February, on the 71st anniversary of a nationalist massacre estimated to have killed as many as 28,000.
The activists demanded the government erase all tributes to Chiang and his son, saying they were dictators who oversaw the decadeslong “White Terror” political purge that saw thousands executed.
Taiwan has evolved into a fully fledged democracy since martial law was lifted in 1987, but it was only in December that a bill was passed to tackle the legacy of such injustices.
Chiang’s mausoleum in the northern city of Taoyuan has been closed to the public since the incident and the protesters were indicted Tuesday for damage and disrespect of a public memorial.
In a statement prosecutors said Taiwan “gives the maximum protection to any political and historical interpretations or beliefs, within the scope of freedom of speech, but the means of expression still needs to abide by the law.
