TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – An empty minibus crashed into a flower pot in front of the Presidential Office Building, reports said Wednesday (June 5).
A police investigation found the incident involved neither political motives nor driving under the influence, the Liberty Times reported. The driver, surnamed Chang (張), needed an urgent visit to a restroom, so he parked his bus on Ketagalan Boulevard across Chongqing South Road in front of the Presidential Office Building but forgot to put the handbrake on.
After he left the minibus for a nearby park, the vehicle continued on its own for 300 meters before hitting one of the flower pots in front of the entrance to the Presidential Official Building. Nobody was injured in the accident.
After he left the restrooms inside 228 Peace Memorial Park, Chang saw that his bus had disappeared. He hurried across the street and explained the situation to police officers.
Over the years, several incidents have occurred with drivers smashing their car or truck into the front of the Presidential Office Building, mostly as a form of protest against the occupant of the day. The attacks led to tighter security measures including the installation of barriers in front of the building.