Taipei prosecutors have charged DPP lawmaker Zhong Jia Bin with destruction
of public property, after he and a civilian, surnamed Huang, cut a police
barricade in 2024.

Zhong says, he will cooperate with the investigation and respect the
judiciary process.

According to the indictment, Zhong used cable cutters to cut a police
barricade while the legislature was examining amendments to the Election and
Recall Act in December of 2024.

Zhong says, he was outside the legislature at that time alongside protesters
demonstrating against what he called the KMT and TPP's "evil law..."

when an ambulance needed to get through to get to someone injured, leading
him to cut the barricade.

Zhong notes that witness testimony and physical evidence back up his version
of events.

Prosecutors say, police used steel cables to block off the area ahead of the
planned protest, but Zhong and Huang cut the cables, making them unusable.

Zhong's lawyer has argued that his actions were not illegal as they were in
line with his duties as a lawmaker...

but the prosecution says that other lawmakers had no trouble in receiving
medical care that day.

In other words, Taipei prosecutors say there was no need to damage public
property over the issue.

(AH)