Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Following the demonstration outside its office on Friday, the Zhongzheng First Police Precinct yesterday said it resolved after a meeting that the Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan (ART) would again be allowed to assemble on Jinan Road, as it has been doing for the past five years.

More than 1,000 people gathered outside the precinct office on Friday night to protest against Precinct Chief Fang Yang-ning (方仰寧) reneging on his pledge, made in the early hours of Friday morning, to not disperse protesters from the square outside the Legislative Yuan, the venue where the ART had organized talks during the occupation of Legislative Yuan and continued to do so after the Sunflower Movement’s exit on Thursday.

After occupying the legislative chamber for 24 days in protest against the government’s handling of the cross-strait service trade agreement, student-led protesters last night peacefully withdrew from the Legislative Yuan with a heart-warming rally in which participants shared their thoughts on the action and expressed gratitude for all the support they had received.

While the protest at the legislature might have ended — although more challenges are likely to be made to the President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) administration’s work on the controversial pact — one thing is certain: The Sunflower movement has won the hearts and respect of many older Taiwanese.