New | Taiwanese Textbook-rules student protester commits suicide
The 20-year-old spokesman for Taiwanese demonstrators took his own life by burning barbecue charcoal
A 20-year-old former student protesting the Taiwanese Education Ministry’s controversial changes to high school textbook guidelines took his own life on Thursday, authorities said.
New Taipei police said Lin Kuan-hua, who suspended his schooling in June, killed himself by burning barbecue charcoal and did not leave any note immediately before his death.
Taiwanese media reported that Lin had wished himself happy birthday on his Facebook page in the early hours on Thursday and wrote, “I have only one wish: Minister, please withdraw the textbook guidelines.”
Lin was identified as a spokesman for demonstrators staging protests outside the Education Ministry last week against the controversial high school textbook guidelines.
Some demonstrators entered the ministry building by force, broke into the minister’s office, and blocked the door with chairs, tables and file cabinets to prevent police from entering.
Police arrested 33 people for illegal entry and damaging public property. Education Minister Wu Se-hwa has threatened to file a criminal complaint against the arrested protesters, including three reporters and mostly students.