Not long after protesters took over Taiwan's legislature over a controversial trade deal with China, the island's capital city Taipei was rocked by more protesters from April 26 to April 30, this time against a fourth nuclear power plant currently under security check that they fear is a danger.
Police forced the protesters from their gathering spots and set up barbed-wire fences and barricades to prevent them from coming back. Numerous chevaux de frise were placed around the presidential office, the Legislative Yuan, the Executive Yuan and other important government buildings.
In response, protesters got creative. They decorated the fences with anti-nuclear ribbons, political banners, flowers and other items, turning the barricades into what some have dubbed a contemporary street art exhibition. Many Taiwanese netizens have shared photos of the art, and below is a selection.
A warning sign hung beside the fence reads, “Danger, don't come near.” The photo was taken by Facebook user Chuan Hsiang Chang, who called the fence “the silent spiral.” CC BY-NC 2.0.
The sleeping beauty's castle, aka the presidential office. Photo by Instagram user deception. CC BY-NC 2.0.
Paint them pink. Photo by Twitter user runst01. CC BY-NC 2.0.
The yellow scarf. Photo by
Flickr user pbear6150. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Sending flowers for love. Photo by Flickr user live365. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Inside the chevaux de frise: the victims from the autocratic era. Photo by Facebook user Wei Hung. CC BY-NC 2.0.
We shall overcome. Photo by NTU News E-Forum's reporter 張慈安 Tzu-An Chang. CC BY-NC 2.0.
