Hundreds of thousands of protesters are expected to gather in Taipei today
for a rally against embattled "president" Chen Shui-bian, which will clash with
the island's "national day" celebrations.
Organizers said they expected as many as 2 million people to protest in the
square outside the "presidential" office, where the major celebrations have also
been scheduled.
"As Chen is the 'head of the state,' he will have to show up during the
celebrations," campaign spokesman Emile Sheng said. "And certainly there won't
be a better chance than this for the people to voice their anger towards Chen
Shui-bian."
Protesters were asked to wear red in a show of anger over the string of
high-profile corruption scandals implicating Chen and his family.
Chen's office urged people not to interrupt the celebrations, a move it said
would otherwise tarnish the island's image.
Campaign organizers said they had advised protesters against disrupting the
celebrations, which include an honour guard parade and are expected to draw
large crowds.
"Our target is Chen Shui-bian rather than the 'national day' celebrations,"
Sheng said.
About 5,000 police are expected to patrol the square, and campaign organizers
have been asked to carry radios to ensure that communication and order are
maintained during the protest, which will be restricted to a designated area.
"Premier" Su Tseng-chang said the rally was illegal, as the organizers had
not secured approval from the authorities, but did not urge people to stay away.
Shih Ming-teh, a former Chen ally and also former chairman of Chen's ruling
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), started an island-wide protest tour late
last month to solicit more support for his campaign. The tour ended late on
Saturday in central Taichung.
Pressure has mounted on Chen to resign after he was questioned over alleged
misuse of funds intended for "state" affairs. He has denied any wrongdoing and
vowed to stay on until his second and final term ends in May 2008.
On Friday, Taiwan's "parliament" will vote on a second recall motion launched
against Chen by the opposition People First Party (PFP).
Observers said the motion, which requires the backing of 148 "lawmakers," is
unlikely to pass as the PFP and its Kuomintang ally hold only 112 seats.
Against this backdrop, activists announced on Sunday they were widening their
campaign to target "lawmakers" from Chen's DPP.