"Chop Chen Shimei Arts Festival" Sparks Debate; Tainan City Government Says Venue Applications Reviewed According to Regulations
The marital dispute between Chen Hsing-yu and Chao Chien-ming has evolved into a grassroots-organised banquet event — a politically sensitive hot potato for the Tainan City Government, and a very real nuisance for residents of Wufei Street.
- The Taiwanese opera performance at the "Chop Chen Shimei Arts Festival," organised spontaneously by internet users, has been scheduled for 18–22 September, but the venue has yet to be confirmed.
- Locations circulating online include closing off Wufei Street, the entrance to Chao Chien-ming's clinic, and the municipal stadium.
- The Tainan City Government said it would maintain administrative neutrality and review any application fairly in accordance with public safety and venue management regulations.
- Wufei Street residents have pushed back, saying the road is narrow and busy with pedestrians and vehicles, and that closing the street would seriously disrupt traffic and daily life; some bluntly accused the organisers of "stirring up trouble for its own sake."
- Other residents took a more neutral stance, suggesting the event be moved to an open space such as a community activity centre, temple courtyard, or plaza.
Outlook: The organisers must first settle on a theatre troupe and a programme before they formally submit a venue application, at which point the city government's decision to approve or reject it will become the next flashpoint in the controversy.