PHOTO ESSAY/Rallies against legislative reform bills held around Taiwan

Taipei, May 28 (CNA) People have gathered at public venues around Taiwan Tuesday, mostly to oppose the ongoing review of legislative reforms bills by lawmakers, with discussions on the bills also taking place in local councils.

In addition to demonstrations around the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, a gathering took place in front of Taichung Train Station on Friday, with people voicing their views to passersby.

Another rally was held in front of Zhunan Train Station in neighboring Miaoli County, with people holding up signs that read "no discussion, no democracy," echoing one of the slogans chanted by crowds in Taipei and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Meanwhile, Miaoli County Magistrate Chung Tung-chin (鍾東錦) said on Monday it is rare there are protests against the opposition parties, as most demonstrations target the ruling party.

He also mentioned that some parts of the reform bills were previously proposed by the DPP. He called for political parties to make the national interest their top priority, whether the ruling or opposition parties.

In Yunlin County and Tainan, demonstrators gathered in front of local Presbyterian Churches on Tuesday.

A senior high school student in Yunlin said he supports legislative reforms, but the current version proposed by the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) have not been fully discussed and so are against democracy and the rule of law.

In Yilan, many National Luodong Senior High School students gathered along with local residents at Luodong Zhongshan Park Tuesday evening, with a crowd of around 250 chanting "I'm in Yilan. I hold the Legislature in contempt."

In Hualien County Council, independent councilors called for "contempt of county council" legislation based on the offense of "contempt of the Legislature" proposed by KMT and TPP lawmakers, including former Hualien County Magistrate and current KMT legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁).

In the offshore county of Penghu, KMT county councilors voiced their support for the reform bills being reviewed by the Legislature, while local civic groups planned to gather Tuesday evening to express their opposition, as they did on May 24.

Update

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