Around 100 members of Taipei’s LGBTQ+ community protested on Sunday after police raided a gay bar the previous day and detained 51 people, an unusual move in Taiwan, which has long projected a liberal image and legal protections for sexual minorities.
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which → protest → minorities
The protest came a day after police raided Commander D, a well-known gay bar in Taipei’s Wanhua district, taking 51 people in for questioning and arresting the bar’s owner.
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police → come → owner
Police said they had acted on a search warrant over suspected “offences against public morality”.
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they → say → morality
According to precinct spokesman Chen Yu-cheng, those detained were suspected of violating a law prohibiting “wantonly exposing one’s naked body or presenting a lascivious posture in a public place or publicly accessible place”.
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those → accord → place
Protesters marched to the precinct police station on Sunday, where they voiced anger over the raid and questioned the police action.
“They raided the place violently.
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They → march → place
It was very scary,” one of those detained told Reuters.
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one → detain → Reuters
The Taipei city government referred Reuters to a separate police statement saying officers had received a complaint alleging that the bar could be violating public decency laws.
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bar → refer → laws
What happened at Commander D?
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What → happen → D
The raid took place on October 3 at around 4.30 pm, according to local reports.
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raid → take → reports
The bar's manager protested the police action and was handcuffed, while people at the scene said officers initially refused to show the search warrant.
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officers → protest → warrant
Police later described the operation as questioning rather than a search, according to local reports, prompting further anger among those present.
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Police → describe → those
The reports also said a large number of customers who had removed their clothes were taken away for questioning.
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who → say → questioning
It was not immediately clear whether the operation was connected to a suspected drug offence.
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operation → connect → offence
Commander D, which has operated in Taipei for about 14 years, had previously come under scrutiny after a city councillor raised concerns about alleged underage customers entering bars.
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customers → operate → bars
The councillor had also released photographs of the bar's interior and alleged that underage youths were being subjected to inappropriate activities.
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youths → release → activities
The allegations prompted Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an to order an investigation.
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allegations → prompt → investigation
The bar denied having any system involving underage customers and said intimate interactions between customers were private behaviour.
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interactions → deny → customers
It said it had an identity and age-verification mechanism and checked customers' identification at entry.
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it → say → entry
Taiwan's LGBTQ+ rights record
The raid has drawn particular attention because Taiwan has positioned itself as one of Asia's most progressive societies on LGBTQ+ rights.
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Taiwan → draw → rights
Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in 2019, becoming the first jurisdiction in Asia to do so.
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Taiwan → legalise → Asia
Taipei is also due to hold its main Pride event later this month, one of the largest such events in East Asia.
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Taipei → hold → Asia
Mayor Chiang, from the opposition Kuomintang, has previously attended Taipei Pride and expressed support for the LGBTQ+ community.
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Chiang → attend → community
He faces an election next month.
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He → face → election
The precinct chief, who did not give his name, briefly addressed protesters outside the police station.
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who → give → station
“We respect the culture of a pluralistic society and will protect the rights of every citizen,” he said, as protesters shouted their disapproval.
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protesters → respect → disapproval
A protestor shared that he was angry that the raid had taken place during Pride month.
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raid → share → month
“I’m not cool with this,” he said.
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he → ’m → this
“This city used to claim that it was queer friendly.”
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it → use → ?
The Aporia
