TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's main opposition party has imposed strict rules for its upcoming protest, explicitly banning participants from displaying Chinese national flags. The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) revealed details Thursday (April 24) for a major demonstration against what it characterizes as political persecution by the ruling administration.
The protest comes amid escalating tensions over a controversial investigation. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) voiced strong objections to findings by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office (北檢), which discovered names of deceased individuals on recall petitions targeting legislators from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling pro-independence party. Chu announced the demonstration would take place on Katagalan Boulevard (凱達格蘭大道), the ceremonial avenue in front of Taiwan's Presidential Office.
KMT spokesperson Crystal Yang (楊智伃) announced the demonstration would commence at 3 p.m. Saturday, featuring a lineup of prominent speakers from diverse backgrounds. Former National Taiwan University (NTU, 台灣大學) President Kuan Chung-ming (管中閔), a respected academic figure, will address the crowd. The protest has secured high-profile political support with confirmed attendance from Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), grandson of former Taiwanese president Chiang Ching-kuo, and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕), both influential KMT politicians.
Anticipating potential disruptions, KMT Taipei City Councilor Liu Tsai-wei (柳采葳) issued specific guidelines for demonstrators, recommending casual clothing and permitting only Taiwan's official Republic of China (ROC, 中華民國) flag. Liu pointedly suggested that individuals displaying the People's Republic of China flag would likely be provocateurs from the rival DPP. The announcement came hours after investigators searched the KMT's branch office in Yilan county, escalating political tensions. Spokesperson Yang sharply criticized the ruling party for what she described as systematic efforts to undermine democratic recall processes. She encouraged Yilan residents to participate in Saturday's demonstration, warning that the DPP's actions threatened voting rights ahead of Taiwan's 2026 elections. ★
