From Taiwan to the U.S.: Why We Stand with Peaceful Protesters and Defend Democracy

At the Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL), we know that democracy is not a guarantee; it is a promise that must be defended, questioned, and renewed by every generation. Today, we are witnessing a moment in the United States when that promise is being tested.

Across the country, peaceful protesters are raising their voices to demand justice, accountability, and reform. Whether they are calling attention to racial inequities, abuses of power, or failures in democratic institutions, they are exercising one of the most essential rights in any free society: the right to dissent.

As Taiwanese Americans, many of us carry the legacy of Taiwan’s democratic struggle in our family histories. Taiwan’s past is not distant from these current events, it is directly connected.

We remember the White Terror, when thousands were imprisoned or killed for speaking out under martial law. We remember the students who filled the streets during the Wild Lily movement in 1990, calling for free elections and constitutional reform. We remember that Taiwan’s democracy was born not from silence, but from protest. Those voices shaped a freer future for all of us.

That is why we believe so strongly in the power and the necessity of peaceful protest in the United States.

At the same time, we want to be clear: we condemn all forms of violence, regardless of who commits it. Violence undermines democratic goals, distracts from legitimate causes, and threatens the safety of communities. Peaceful protest must be protected, and excessive force whether from individuals or institutions must be held accountable.

We urge leaders and institutions in the United States to listen, not suppress. To reform, not retaliate. Protest is not the enemy of democracy—it is its beating heart.

In moments like this, silence is not neutrality. As a community shaped by both Taiwanese history and the American experience, we choose to speak. We stand with those peacefully demanding a more just and inclusive society, and we reaffirm our belief that democracy must be rooted in truth, justice, and the courage to change.

In solidarity,
Taiwanese American Citizens League (TACL)

For additional resources and information, see the following:
Family Preparedness Guide – Traditional CH
ACLU Know Your Rights – Traditional CH / English