Taipei City Hall Steps Up Security After Attack|北市勞動局長賴香伶遇襲 續留院觀察

Taipei City Department of Labor Commissioner Lai Hsiang-lin was recently attacked in her office. The department says her doctor wants her to stay in the hospital for treatment and observation. The Taipei City Government activated additional door security at 10 a.m. for the entire day. Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je says there will be an internal assessment. At the same time, he condemned violence.


Taipei City Hall's six northern and northeastern side doors and 84 fire doors on every floor are usually restricted only after 6 p.m. Following the assault on Taipei City Department of Labor Commissioner Lai Hsiang-lin in her office, an all-day policy has been enacted and employees will have to show their IDs to get in and out of the building. Security footage shows the assailant, carrying a yellow bag, rushing out of Lai's office. Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je said there would be an internal review. He also condemned violence.

I have something to say on behalf of Commissioner Lai. Commissioner Lai Hsiang-lin got her start in labor movements and union movements. People joke that the Taipei City Department of Labor is the only department of labor in Taiwan. So, it can be said that she does everything she can for labor rights, OK? However, there are still radicals in society. So, we still have to condemn violence.

According to sources, the assailant first stopped by Lai's office on the fifth floor earlier in the day but she wasn't there. He returned in the afternoon and perhaps surmised she was in because the light was on. He rushed in and attacked Lai. The secretary outside Lai's office did not have time to stop him.

Although the elections are almost here, there are no conspiracy theories about what happened. In these past four years, there has been every kind of tactic from labor inspections to fines, including (the assailant's) civil suit against CPC Corp. We used litigation subsidies, including employment services. The Department of Labor did everything it possibly could. We all did everything we could.

Lai's doctors are keeping her in the hospital for treatment and observation. She suffered a deep laceration to the left side of her face, but no concussion or fractures. Lai wrote a note saying she is in stable condition and thanked everyone for their concern.