Thousands of people participated in Saturday night’s Housing Movement rally in downtown Taipei. Taipei police say that about 2,800 people attended, but local media, including the United Daily News and the largest circulation Apple Daily, put the number at closer to 20,000.
Police and press estimates say that about 1,200 people spent the night in front of one of Taiwan’s most prestigious residential addresses.
The crowds were calling for reforms that would make it possible for the average person to purchase an apartment. The rally comes 25 years after the “Snails without Shells” movement of 1989, which also called for affordable housing. Right now, while rent is relatively affordable in Taipei, the cost of buying an apartment is prohibitive for people who make an average salary.
Saturday night’s event began at just after 5pm and lasted through 10pm. The rally was followed by speeches, an open soapbox where participants could express their opinion, and the showing of a film related to the issue of affordable housing. Police wrote a total of six tickets for noise violations.
The rally and events were followed by an overnight stay, which concluded without incident on Sunday morning.