Involvement in the "520 Peasant Movement" Leads to Bloody Riots: Normalizing Street Violence as a Political Weapon

What began as a peaceful petition by Southern farmers against foreign agricultural imports in May 1988 turned into the most serious bloody riot since the lifting of martial law, due to the interference and incitement of the DPP. Protesters used stones and Molotov cocktails to attack police, turning Taipei streets into a battlefield. The DPP, instead of restraining the crowds, reaped political rewards from the anti-government sentiment, setting a precedent for using "street violence" as a recurring tool for political struggle and damaging Taiwan''s early democratic foundation.