New Taipei police office besieged by unruly residents

新北市警察局遭鬧事民眾包圍

Over 20 people gathered to threaten police offers outside Sanchong police station Saturday night


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A crowd of unruly residents in New Taipei’s Sanchong District attacked a local police station on Saturday (Nov. 4) and threatened officers inside.

The incident began just before 10 p.m. when a crowd of roughly 20 people gathered outside the Sanchong Police Department shouting, cursing, and throwing objects at the doors and windows, reported UDN. Officers barricaded the doors and called for backup to help disperse the crowd, then arrested nine individuals early Sunday (Nov. 5) morning.

An additional five suspects were arrested later on Sunday.

The crowd was reportedly led by a man who was detained early Saturday morning for disorderly conduct. UDN reported that the suspect, a 50-year-old man surnamed Weng (翁), was taken by authorities to the station around 3 a.m. on Saturday to sober up after he and his wife were reported for fighting in public. He was released several hours later.

Later that evening, Weng returned to the station with a large group of friends intent on menacing the police officers inside, particularly an officer surnamed Liao (廖), who was involved in Weng’s arrest that morning. Weng and his wife were unhappy with their treatment by Liao and allegedly came to air their grievances.

Several members of the crowd briefly forced their way in during the incident, but they were quickly expelled.

Officers tried to avoid aggravating the crowd by remaining in the station as the crowd yelled and chanted outside the main entrance. They called for backup from nearby precincts for assistance, and the crowd was successfully dispersed within 10 minutes.

Following the incident, officers quickly identified persons who had committed the most serious, chargeable offenses and prepared to make arrests. Nine people were arrested early Sunday at around 2:30 a.m., including Weng and his wife, a 44-year-old woman surnamed Wang (王).

The suspects' cases will be sent to the New Taipei District Prosecutors, and they will be charged with disturbing the peace. Officers are still investigating and may seek to make more arrests related to the incident.