Legislative violence
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Legislative violence broadly refers to any violent clashes between members of a nation's legislature, often triggered by divisive issues and tight votes. Although these types of clashes happen in many countries of all time periods, Asian countries such as Taiwan seem to be notorious for these acts of violence as of recently, because legislative violence seem to happen most frequently in those countries.
Incidents of legislative violence happen mostly in fledgling democracies (like today's ROC), thus now "mature" democracies including Britain and the United States also have had these incidents happen frequently back when they were still experimenting with the concept.[1]
Although the legislature may be an august chamber incongruent with the sight of brawling politicians, its occupants, like in any other workplace, are still prone to stress and anger. The confrontational nature of politics and the high stakes often add to the violence simmering beneath the surface.
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[edit] Republic of China
The Republic of China (Taiwan) is widely known for the violence that occurs in its Legislative Yuan. It is popularly referred locally as "Legislator Group Brawl" (立委群毆). Legislative violence in Taiwan has, according to some, decreased in realism in recent years, and has been reduced to a political show used by legislators as a ploy to gain media coverage and votes amongst constituents.
In 1995, the Legislative Yuan was presented the Ig Nobel Prize Peace Award, for "demonstrating that politicians gain more by punching, kicking and gouging each other than by waging war against other nations."
[edit] Historical background
The history of legislative violence in the Yuan dates back to the 1980s. At this time, the Legislative Yuan still consisted mostly of legislators that were elected in the last Pan-Chinese legislative elections, which occurred in 1948. Under a ruling by the Judicial Yuan of the ROC, these legislators were allowed to remain in their seats until free elections can be held in Mainland China once it was recovered by the Kuomintang (KMT) – which seemed unlikely given the military balance with the Mainland China.
As new seats were created for Taiwan, the opposition tangwai began to form. However, the Kuomintang, which is the party that most of the legislators elected in 1948 affiliate with, still controls the agenda. This led to clashes between the two blocs in the Legislative Yuan.
[edit] Militarist faction vs. Democratic Progressive Party
In a period between 1990 and 1993, during the tenure of Premier Hau Pei-tsun, legislators allied with the militarist faction (軍系) (with which Hau is also allied with, as Minister of National Defense), along with legislators that belong to the "Order Team" (秩序組) frequently started incidents of legislative violence with the 12-member Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opposition in the name of "defending the Ministry of National Defense". It created high tension in the Legislative Yuan, and even forced the President of the Yuan to expel all DPP members in one sitting. In one sitting of the Yuan, a DPP legislator was injured so badly, that he had to be sent to the hospital for treatment.
[edit] "The Black Terror"
A ruling of the Council of Grand Justice in 1991 expelled the elderly members elected in 1948, making the Legislative Yuan fully chosen by the Taiwanese electorate. In 1992, seats in the entire chamber were put up for election for the first time since 1948 and a large number of popularly-elected legislators entered the Legislative Yuan. Amongst these batches of new legislators were people who have connections with the Triads.
At this time, the KMT controlled a faction called the "Order Team" (秩序組) in the Yuan. The team consisted of legislators that are well-trained in fighting, such as Lin Ming-ye, Zhao Jan-peng, and Shih Tai-seng.
[edit] Recent times
Entering the new millennium, many people believed that the current legislative violence are not as real as those in the 90's, and has turned into a contest where politicians generate trash (ie. by throwing lunchboxes at each other) — a political show for politicians to garner media attention and votes.
[edit] Specific events
Legislator (later President) Chen Shui-bian attended a meeting of the National Defence Committee. During the committee meeting, Chen asked Minister of National Defence Hau Pei-tsun whether he intended to overthrow the president of the time, Lee Teng-hui, in the event of a political turmoil. Hau said it was not advisable for him to answer the question. Chen then followed up with another question, asking Hau which side he intends to stand on in the event of a political turmoil. At this time, the Chairman of the Committee, Chou Shu-fu said Chen's question was out of line, and Chen began to quarrel with Chou. Chou then called for a recess.
The committee reconvened after the aforementioned recess to continue its discussions. Chen once again peppered Hau with questions over various items in the defense budget. Hau continued to evade the questions, with a promise that he will respond in writing afterwards. After a while, Chou ordered that all questions, from now on, will be replied in writing after the meeting is adjourned, and called for another legislator to ask questions.
At this time, Chen, expressing his disapproval, flipped his table over, with two of his fellow DPP legislators, Chang Chun-hsiung and Chao Jun-yiao following suit. Another KMT legislator, when he heard about the events happening in the Defense Committee meeting, rushed to the meeting room and began to throw chairs around, while saying "Goddamn it! If you guys have enough guts to throw stuff around, I will do that too!"[citation needed]. Immediately afterwards, DPP legislator Lu Shou-yi also threw around chairs, and a big fight ensued.
A quarrel broke out between the DPP caucus and KMT legislator Lin Ming-ye. After Lin walked off the podium, DPP legislator So Wun-chi told him to be patient. But the way the phrase (卡忍耐, which roughly translates to "have a bit of patience") was pronounced led to a mistaken interpretation by Lin as a vulgar insult. As a result, Lin slammed his brick cell phone on So's head.
The Secretary-General of the DPP You Yi-yen was assaulted by three unknown assailants while he was heading towards the DPP headquarters. Investigations carried out by the DPP later accused legislator Lo Fu-chu.
KMT legislator Zhen Ji-wei questioned the eligibility of certain people who registered to appear at a forum for the discussion of national affairs, and requested a re-registration to rectify the problem. In the process, Zhen held the registration book tightly. This was responded with a threat of biting by the New Party legislator Fu Kun-cheng. When Zhen refused to release the regislation book from her clutches, Fu, true to his words, bit Zhen. Zhen then kicked Fu in the kneecaps, in which Fu responded with another kick. Zhen was later sent to the hospital with bite injuries on the right hand and abrasive wounds in her private parts.
During a recess of a meeting to audit the Environmental Department's budgets, a DPP legislator fell down a set of stairs under mysterious circumstances. The DPP legislator suffered bleeding, as well as bruises to his head, neck, hand, and abdomen. It is rumored that a KMT legislator assaulted him and then pushed him down the stairs. After this incident, the Legislative Yuan installed closed-circuit cameras on the stairwells.
People First Party legislator Lee Ching-an, accused a school of accepting black gold during an Education Committee Q&A session with Education Minister Ovid Tzeng. At this time, KMT legislator Lo Fu-chu accused Lee of secretly accusing Lo. A quarrel ensued, and Lo slapped Lee, a female, in the face after Lee poured tea over Lo. Lo was suspended for six months as a result.
A serious scuffle broke out between the ruling and opposition party members after an argument over vote recounts from the presidential election.[2]
Lawmakers Chu Hsing-yu and Lai Ching-teh got into a brawl over legislative procedures. TV stations had showed Chu grabbing Lai and trying to wrestle him onto a desk. He then tried to headbutt his colleague before jabbing him in the stomach. The brawl resulted in having a traffic policeman called into the chamber to test Chu's alcohol level, after he was accused of being drunk. The tests showed no sign of alcohol influence.[3]
During a debate on a military hardware purchase ordinance, the opposition and ruling party engaged in a food fight after a disagreement broke out. [4]
A People First Party legislator entered into open disagreement with a group of DPP legislators over certain administrative matters, and fought each other on the floors of the Legislative Yuan.
Amid a proposal about creating direct transport links with Mainland China, DPP deputy Wang Shu-hui snatched the written proposal and shoved it into her mouth. Opposition members failed to get her to cough it up by pulling her hair. She later spat the proposal out and tore it up. This is the third time that the DPP’s actions have stopped a vote over this issue.
During the incident another DPP member, Chuang Ho-tzu, spat at an opposition member.[5]
According to EuroNews, the Yuan crowded up against one another at their most recent meeting and the Speaker had two shoes thrown at him.
[edit] Mexico
Hours before the scheduled Oath of Office ceremony for Felipe Calderón in the Legislative Palace, the legislature erupted in a brawl. It was the latest installment of the string of fistfights that rattled the Mexican legislature. The incident was broadcast on live television [6]. In spite of such events the ceremony took place. Calderón entered the Congress chamber through a back door directly onto the podium, and in a quick ceremony took the Oath of Office amid jeers. Then, after singing the national anthem which silenced the opposition for a while, he took a quick exit rather than deliver his inaugural address to Congress (the traditional follow-up to the oath taking).
[edit] South Korea
During a National Assembly vote on the motion to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun, supporters of the President openly clashed with opposition MPs for 20 minutes in an effort to stop the vote (which was in favor of impeachment) from being finalized.[7]
[edit] United Kingdom
In the British House of Commons, the government and the opposition are separated by red lines drawn on the carpet. The red lines in front of the two sets of benches are two sword-lengths apart (some say a little more than two sword-lengths apart); a Member is traditionally not allowed to cross the line during debates, for he or she is then supposed to be able to attack an individual on the opposite side. These procedures were made because the Members were allowed to carry weapons into the House in its founding days.
- 1972
During a dispute over the conduct of British soldiers on Bloody Sunday, Independent Socialist MP Bernadette Devlin punched the then Conservative Party Home Secretary Reginald Maudling. Her aggression was in response to the comments made by Maudling, who was maintaining that the British Army had fired at Bloody Sunday protesters in self-defence, contrary to the testimonies of civilian eye-witnesses (including Devlin herself). She argued that she was being denied the right to speak. Her actions resulted in her being banned from the House of Commons for six months.
[edit] United States
Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina famously assaulted Charles Sumner of Massachusetts for a previous speech of his, alleging his brother Andrew Butler was a pimp who took "a mistress who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight—I mean, the harlot, Slavery."
[edit] Ancient Rome
Roman general and dictator Julius Caesar was famously assassinated by a group of senators on the Ides of March, 44 BC during a meeting of the Roman Senate. The senators, led by Cassius and Brutus and calling themselves Liberatores, had conspired in secret to kill Caesar and considered various ways to do so. Ultimately, they decided kill him during a meeting of the senate, since only senators would be allowed in the meeting and Caesar would be alone. The senators drafted a fake petition requesting that Caesar hand over power to senate; Caesar called a meeting of the senate to read it. When Caesar met the senators cum assassins at the Theatre of Pompey, they stabbed him repeatedly with daggers concealed under their togas, killing him. Caesar's assassination lead to a civil war for control of the republic, ending ultimately with the rise of Caesar Augustus and the founding of the Roman Empire.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "When politicians attack...", BBC News, March 23, 2004
- ^ "Taiwan leader denies vote-rigging", BBC News, March 23, 2004
- ^ "Taiwan politicians brawl over procedure", BBC News, May 7, 2004
- ^ "Taiwanese MPs hold a food fight", BBC News, October 26, 2004
- ^ "Taiwan deputy halts vote by chomping China proposal", Reuters, May 30, 2006
- ^ "Mexican Congress in brawl before inauguration". CNN. 1 December 2006.
- ^ "South Korean president impeached", BBC News, March 12, 2004
- The July 8th version of this article uses the translation of the corresponding Chinese-language Wikipedia article.
