Taiwan Lawmakers Brawl And Throw Pig Organs Over US Pork Imports

Taiwan’s lawmakers tossed pig organs and started brawling on Friday regarding a pending policy over U.S. pork imports, The Associated Press reported.

Taiwan’s nationalist party leaders, the KMT, threw the organs onto the Parliament floor, preventing Premier Su-Tseng Chang from delivering his routine policy report, the AP reported. The brawl began after Taiwan’s ruling party lawmakers, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), tried to prevent the KMT officials from throwing the pig guts and one DPP official wrestled a KMT official to the ground.

“In order to protect people’s health and protect the bottom line of food safety, the opposition party cannot but resist,” the KMT party said, referring to their protest, according to The Guardian.

The pork in the imports carry traces of ractopamine, which some U.S. farmers use in their animal food to produce lean meat, the AP reported.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen’s administration revoked the U.S. pork and beef import ban in August, which was seen as a start towards potential negotiations of a bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and the U.S., the AP reported. The policy is set to take effect in January.

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Thousands protested the food imports proposal on Sunday in Taipei, the AP reported.

“When you were in the opposition, you were against U.S. pork, now that you’re in power, you’ve become a supporter of U.S. pork,” said KMT legislator Lin Wei-chou, according to the AP. Lin led the protesting KMT officials, who wore black t-shirts with the caption, “oppose ractopamine-pork.”

The ruling party’s lawmakers urged peace, the AP reported.

“You have blocked Premier Su from reposting to the parliament for 12 times,” Hsu Sheng-chieh, a DPP legislative member, said, according to the AP.

“Please return to reason,” Hsu said, according to the AP.