PROTECTING THE FUTURE:Mothers, concerned about nuclear power and nuclear waste, said they joined the rally with their children to stand up for future generations
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
Protesters occupy part of Zhongxiao W Road in front of the Taipei Railway Station during an antinuclear demonstration in Taipei yesterday.
Anti-nuclear protesters display placards reading "terminate the fourth nuclear power plant" near the presidential palace during an anti-nuclear demonstration in Taipei, Taiwan. (AFP/Mandy Cheng)
Anti-nuclear protesters stage Taipei blockade
TAIPEI: Tens of thousands of protesters broke through a police cordon to block one of the busiest streets in Taiwan's capital on Sunday as they called for a new nuclear power station to be scrapped.
Chanting crowds gathered in the square outside the presidential palace where protesters had already been staging a sit-in which started on Saturday and lasted through the night.
Shouting "Stop construction of a fourth nuclear power plant!", demonstrators marched to nearby Chung-shiao West Road -- an eight-lane artery where the main railway station is located -- and swarmed through police lines to occupy the street, bringing traffic to a halt.
Around half an hour later, the outnumbered riot police, who had offered no resistance, retreated from the middle of the road to wild applause and cheers from the crowd, an AFP reporter on the scene said.
Buses and other vehicles were forced to detour around the intersection and traffic became paralysed.
Police put protester numbers at around 28,500.
The demonstrators pledged to continue their sit-in until Tuesday, when parliament meets to discuss the controversial nuclear power plant.
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