TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei conducted a high-intensity security drill Thursday (Dec. 26) at City Hall Metro Station (市政府站). The exercise simulated Molotov cocktail attacks and knife assaults one week after an indiscriminate attack left multiple casualties in the capital. Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the 1 p.m. drill marks the first of three planned exercises ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations and the Lunar New Year holiday. The city deployed police, fire department personnel, metro staff and health officials to test emergency response procedures across multiple locations.
The drill simulated two attackers throwing Molotov cocktails on the metro platform before fleeing to City Hall Bus Terminal (市府轉運站) to attack passengers with knives. The scenario resulted in three simulated burn victims and two people injured in the ensuing panic. Officials successfully tested Taiwan's cell broadcast alert system for the first time during a security drill, sending evacuation instructions to mobile phones within a 0.5-kilometer (0.3-mile) radius. The message directed residents to remain calm and evacuate to safe areas.
After the Dec. 19 incident, passengers using the metro are understandably very tense, Chiang explained following the drill. The exercise covered every stage from initial attack through triage and hospital transport, he added. The second phase will expand to Taipei Main Station (台北車站) during the third week of January, simulating multiple attackers at the four-line transit hub. A third drill, conducted before the Lunar New Year, will test cross-jurisdictional responses across multiple stations in Taipei and New Taipei cities.
Chiang emphasized the city will maintain heightened security through year-end events including New Year's Eve celebrations and Lunar New Year markets. The mayor said authorities will continuously review existing defense mechanisms to ensure citizen safety and will not relax vigilance through the Lunar New Year period. Officials did not disclose specific security measures or staffing levels for upcoming events. ◼
