Escalation

A police officer with assault rifle

Miaoli is Taiwan's 'Far West.' The county commissioner is largely responsible for this 

It's little wonder that Miaoli County Commissioner Liu Cheng-hung (劉政鴻) is increasingly being called tyrannical. He said so about himself during a meeting earlier this morning, claiming that this is for "the public good."

Liu, who has come under severe criticism recently, seems to have taken this to heart. This picture was taken by a young activist during a peaceful candle-lit vigil for the "death of democracy"near Liu's home last night. The activists were surrounded by cops, which has become a regular feat in Taiwan these days. But then one cop showed up bearing an assault rifle, which looks like a Taiwan-made T91. This is the kind of weapon that one sees in the military, or with military police outside the Presidential Office. But outside the house of a county commissioner?