Social Movements

Two Days of Celebrations in Taiwan with Historic First Gay Marriages in Asia

Celebrations have taken place across Taiwan in the last two days, with Taiwan’s first gay marriages taking place yesterday after the passage of gay marriage into law last week, and a mass wedding banquet held today on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office. As Taiwan is the first country to legalize gay marriage in Asia, these are the historic first gay marriages to take place in Asia...

“Fridays for Future” Protest Calling for Environmental Action Held Outside Legislative Yuan

An environmental demonstration organized by thirty environmental groups took place earlier this afternoon outside the Legislative Yuan. The demonstration proved highly visual, featuring a number of creative performances by artists. Notably, a large number of protest participants were children, as the event was framed as being part of the global “Fridays for Future” movement called for by high schooler climate activist Greta Thunberg...

Joshua Wong Jailed Again in Hong Kong, Localist Activists Granted Asylum in Germany

The jailing of Umbrella Movement activist Joshua Wong seems likely to be another move by the Hong Kong government aimed at silencing political dissent, possibly as a warning for future protests. Likewise, news broke earlier this week that two localist activists, Ray Wong and Alan Li, are currently living in Germany after being granted political refugee status last May...

Lawsuits Against Taipower from KMT Mayors Are an Indirect Way to Attack Tsai Administration

In the past month, the Nantou city government has filed a lawsuit against the state-owned Taipower Corporation. This is on the grounds that air pollution from the coal-burning Taichung Power Plant is causing the high death rate from lung cancer in Nantou county. Interestingly, the Taichung city government has backed Nantou county’s lawsuit against the Taipower Corporation...

無止盡的哀悼:大觀社區展覽《待騰空的地上物》

位於新北市板橋的大觀社區經歷多年抗爭,在今年(2019)三月與退輔會的協調會之後,仍無法逃離被拆除的命運。大觀自救會與大觀居民決定於 5/18(六)到 6/2(日)共同舉辦《待騰空的地上物》,展覽內容包括詩作、污名牆、抗爭物件等大觀社區的共同記憶。在大家前往展覽之前,我們從《自由時報》於5/9《謠言終結站》的聲明和居民所遭受的抨擊再一次理解大觀的脈絡。...

Anger from Indigenous Activists After Protest Against Efforts to Protect Indigenous Territories

Over one thousand members of the Taiwan Association for the Rights of Non-Aboriginal Residents in Mountain Indigenous Townships protested against the Council of Indigenous Peoples’ efforts to protect indigenous traditional territories outside of the Executive Yuan and Council of Indigenous Peoples' yesterday. This has led to anger from indigenous activists...