Blood on the Streets of Keelung: Massacre Remembered
[Picture: Liberty Times Network]
A group of activists in the port city of Keelung created some provocative street art in the early hours of the morning to commemorate a massacre of civilians by Chinese Nationalist troops March 8, 1947.
Early morning commuters were confronted by streets and sidewalks around Keelung Station splattered with red paint. Transparent plastic silhouettes laid on the ground represented victims of what some books describe as ‘indiscriminate killing’.
Authorities were seen before dawn hurrying to clean up the mess before commuters began pouring into the station.
On March 8, 1947, ships from Shanghai, China, arrived in the port carrying troops assigned to quell a possible uprising during a period of social unrest sparked by events that occurred in Taipei February 28. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the events of that year.
Some accounts say the troops started firing from the ships even before they had berthed. Soldiers then disembarked and began killing people on the streets.
The action was organized by Keelung Action Alliance (基隆行動聯盟) who enlisted a group of local youth to help.
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