Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said on October 6 that Taiwan's annual Pride parade will be handled under the Assembly and Parade Act, as public concern grows that a controversial police raid on a Taipei gay bar could affect the event later this month. Liu told reporters at the Legislative Yuan that Taiwan is a diverse society and that people of every sexual orientation should be respected.
Her comments came three days after police raided Commander D, a BDSM gay bar in Taipei's Wanhua District, with a search warrant on October 3. The operation drew accusations of excessive force, and an audio recording surfaced in which an officer is heard saying to a disabled person, "Disabled people can have sex too?" The Taipei City Police Department announced on October 5 that six people had been disciplined.
Liu Says Pride Will Follow The Assembly And Parade Act
Liu said the Ministry of the Interior respects the way the Taipei city government has handled the case. She said she believes officers were told during pre-shift briefings to follow the Code of Criminal Procedure, and that if any briefing was found to be inconsistent with those rules, the ministry would urge police bureaus in every city and county to correct it.
Speaking from the standpoint of a law enforcement official, Liu said respect for different sexual orientations is the guiding principle in a society as diverse as Taiwan's.
Reporters pressed her on a statement Taipei police gave to foreign media, which said officers took people away on October 3 for exposing their bodies. With Pride at the end of the month, they asked, could marchers who go shirtless also be taken away? Liu said the parade would be handled in accordance with the Assembly and Parade Act, the law that governs public rallies and marches in Taiwan.
Taiwan Pride is scheduled for October 31, according to Focus Taiwan. Reuters describes it as East Asia's largest Pride parade, held in a place that became the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019.
A City Council Question Set The Raid In Motion
The case traces back to September, when Hung Chien-yi (洪健益), a Democratic Progressive Party member of the Taipei City Council, said during a council session that the bar, which has operated for 14 years, might be admitting minors. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) responded on the spot by ordering police to investigate.
Officers from the Wanhua Precinct entered Commander D on October 3. The bar's owner was handcuffed, taken to a police station and referred to prosecutors on suspicion of offenses against public morals.
Reuters reported that police detained 51 people and called the operation rare for a society known for its liberal values and legal protections for sexual minorities. Police told the news agency that those involved were suspected of violating rules against public nudity and lewd postures in places open to the public.
Six Disciplined And Mayor Chiang Apologizes
Police announced on October 5 that six people had been disciplined, including Wanhua Precinct Chief Chen Yung-hua (陳勇華), according to Focus Taiwan. Chiang, who belongs to the opposition Kuomintang, also apologized to those affected and said Taipei has always been a diverse, inclusive and gay-friendly city.
The controversy has continued to build as the Pride parade approaches.