TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) refused on Tuesday (Dec. 23) to publicly name the attacker who killed three people at Taipei's transportation hubs on Dec. 19, citing concerns that media attention fuels copycat violence. Chiang invoked New Zealand's response to the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, when Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declined to name the shooter. The 27-year-old assailant, surnamed Chang (張), threw smoke bombs and stabbed passersby before falling to his death.
Chiang explained during a Taipei city government meeting that attackers seek notoriety through media coverage. He emphasized that denying perpetrators fame prevents them from achieving their goal of spreading fear. The mayor urged Taiwan media to focus on helping citizens return to normal life rather than amplifying the attacker's identity.
Research demonstrates that mass shootings increase copycat attack risk within 13 days on average, according to studies on violence contagion. One-third of lone-actor terrorists explicitly cite previous attackers as inspiration for their crimes. The phenomenon reflects what experts call "social contagion," where media coverage of violent acts triggers imitation by individuals predisposed to violence.
Five copycat attacks followed the 2019 Christchurch massacre within months, with each perpetrator citing the New Zealand shooter as inspiration. The pattern illustrates how media attention on attackers can trigger further violence. Chiang's statement, "we shouldn't let him succeed," directly references denying attackers the notoriety they seek through mass violence.
Authorities detained two suspects over the weekend for making public threats, including a man who shouted threats at Luzhou District's (蘆洲區), a New Taipei district, MRT station on Dec. 20. Chief Prosecutor Chang Tou-hui (張斗輝) instructed district prosecutors to handle cases involving threats to public safety in coordination with anti-terrorism teams. The rapid response reflects concerns that publicizing the identities of attackers may inspire imitation violence rather than simply reporting facts. ◼
