A real pitched battle took place this Tuesday in the Legislative Assembly of Taiwan, after the opposition lawmakers interrupted an important speech on government policies to combat the coronavirus.
Several opposition legislators rushed to the stand when the president of the chamber, Su Tseng-chang, began his annual speech on government management, focused on the economy and security.
In the images you can see when a few legislators finish rolled on the floor after some struggles and others threw water at their opponents.
Clash between legislators of the ruling party and the opposition in the middle of parliament. Photo: AP
Su Tseng-chang managed to speak for two minutes on the rostrum and comply with the constitutional mandate. Speaking to the press, the speaker of the chamber accused the opposition lawmakers enrolled in the nationalist Kuomintang of being a “violent party”.
The truth is that Su Tseng-chang was unable to continue the speech and consequently was unable to give his management report.
Opposition legislators violently crossed the protective barrier formed by members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, while crying out for the resignation of the speaker of the chamber over the government’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
In recent days, the nationalist party has repeatedly criticized the government for its response to the pandemic. On Tuesday, several lawmakers carried signs saying that the recent reduction of quarantine for aviation pilots was a “serious violation.”
Taiwan suffered a large outbreak in May and June this year, in which more than 800 people died. Many had suspected it was caused by pilots who only had to comply three days of quarantine after returning to the country. The original source of the May outbreak has not been officially confirmed.
This is not the first time that there has been a scandal in Taiwan’s parliament.
The day pig guts blew out in parliament
It is not the first time that the Taiwanese parliament is the scene of a scandal, almost a year ago, in November 2020, deputies of the nationalist Kuomintang party starred a pig gut fight and punches.
It happened on November 27 of last year and the reaction of opposition lawmakers was due to the decision of the Taiwanese leader, Tsai Ing-wen, to lift the ban on the importation of pork from the United States as of January 1 of 2021.
The controversy was generated because North American producers breed pigs with ractopamine, an additive to promote the growth of animals that is prohibited in China and the European Union.
With AP information
GRB
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