Thousands of Taiwanese farmers staged a raucous protest yesterday against a government plan to conditionally lift a ban on US beef containing ractopamine, a controversial leanness-enhancing drug.
Shouting 'Step down, [premier] Sean Chen', 'No poisonous ractopamine-tainted beef' and 'President, say no to the US', farmers from across the island rallied outside the legislature and later at the Agriculture Council, demanding that the government scrap its plan.
They twice scuffled with hundreds of police when they hurled rotten eggs and pig excrement at the council building, while attempting to break through barbed-wire barricades erected outside.
'This is only the beginning of our protest if the government refuses to heed our voices,' said one protest organiser from the Republic of China Hog Breeding Industry Association.
The organisation initiated yesterday's protest, which was joined by a number of cattle-farming as well as civic rights groups.
Chen's cabinet issued a statement late on Monday night saying it had decided to conditionally lift the ban. Taiwanese media said the move was the result of pressure from the United States.
Under the plan, beef treated with a safe level of ractopamine - a feed additive used to enhance leanness in animals raised for meat - will be allowed to be imported, but internal organs from cattle containing the additive will still be banned, as will ractopamine-treated pork products. Imports of all such beef must be clearly labelled as coming from the US, so that people can choose to buy it or not.