Mayor and Deputy Director Hospitalized after Punch-up

[Cover picture: United Daily News]

Miaoli City Mayor Qiu Bingkun (邱炳坤) and Miaoli County Government Deputy Director of Labor and Youth Development Tu Ronghui (涂榮輝) both ended up in hospital after coming to blows at a lunchtime meeting yesterday, Friday, July 14.

Mr Tu was sent to hospital and stayed under observation for 6 hours after being treated for bruises to his face and arm. Mr Qiu was admitted to hospital in the evening after suffering dizziness and vomiting and suspected to be suffering from concussion.

Mr Tu from his hospital bed accused the Mayor of beating him up. Tu said that he was going from table to table toasting people at an industry association lunch when he met the mayor. Tu said the last thing he remembers is the mayor angrily saying “Tu Ronghui you come out.” Then Tu was knocked unconscious and woke up in hospital. The mayor denied the allegation that he had beaten Tu up, and said they both pushed each other around during the fight.

Tu also alleged that after being knocked down he had heard Mayor Qiu’s driver telling the Mayor “don’t hit him like that, you might kill him.”

Mayor Qiu told media in the afternoon that he was drunk and laying down at home resting. He said if Tu wants to sue him he can sue.

Miaoli City Public Secretary Hsie Chengen (謝承恩) said the Mayor Qiu and Mr Tu left the restaurant and a short time later were discovered pushing and pulling each other around. People attempted to separate the men and both of them fell to the ground. After they were separated Mayor Qiu went back inside and lay down on a sofa while Mr Tu was sent to hospital.

At around 6:00pm Mr Qiu sat down to dinner but felt dizzy and wanted to vomit. His son took him to the hospital. Doctors said the back of Mr Qiu’s head was bruised and he may be suffering concussion.

The altercation apparently arose over an long-standing argument concerning the relocation of a hospital.

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