Fourteen people were released after questioning in Taichung Saturday for allegedly vandalizing murals at the city’s Rainbow Village tourist site, according to local police.
The village contains murals and other street art painted by 98-year-old former soldier Huang Yung-Fu (???) in 2008 on the buildings of a military dependents’ village that were slated for demolition.
Police said that 13 workers from Rainbow Creative Co., which the Taichung City Government contracted in 2013 to maintain the designated cultural landmark, and company head Wei Pi-jen (???), were caught red-handed painting over Huang’s original artwork.
Wei told local media that the action was to protest against the government’s unilateral decision to have them move out of the village from Aug. 1.
The vandalism case is being investigated by Taichung prosecutors.
However, a dispute over profit sharing has also emerged as Wei argued that Huang’s paintings were “passed down” to his company five years ago and that the village was now part of the company’s intellectual property.
In response, Taichung City said its contract with the company to run the village and sell related merchandise would be terminated on Sunday ahead of the commencement of six months of construction work.
The park will be closed during the period for building reinforcements before resuming operations around next February, city officials explained, adding that the intellectual property issue is currently being reviewed by a court.
Regardless of the controversy, any damage to the village was intolerable, the city’s Cultural Affairs Bureau said, which added it would sue Rainbow Creative Co. for property damage.
Upon learning the news, Huang described Wei as a “bad guy” and told the press on Sunday that his lifework was ruined.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel