Three suspects have been placed under residence restrictions after allegedly clashing with police as the annual Dajia Matsu pilgrimage passed through Changhua County last week, the Changhua District Prosecutors’ Office said today.
The Changhua District Court ordered a 21-year-old man surnamed Ko (柯) and two brothers surnamed Yeh (葉), aged 25 and 21, to be placed under residence restrictions after ruling that detention was not necessary, Changhua prosecutors said.
The court previously ordered that a fourth suspect, a 21-year-old man surnamed Chen (陳), be detained, as he was believed to pose a risk of collusion and evidence tampering.
Photo: CNA
Late on Saturday last week, a group of people in orange clothing clashed with police as a nine-day pilgrimage organized by the Dajia Jenn Lann Temple, (大甲鎮瀾宮) which began a day earlier, was passing through Changhua City.
Three police officers were injured in the incident. Chen was arrested at the scene, while Ko and the Yeh brothers fled. They were apprehended on Sunday.
A dispute that broke out at about 10:50pm on Saturday among members of a group welcoming the procession escalated into pushing and shoving, and when police officers intervened, the suspects attacked them, the Changhua County Police Department said, adding that all four suspects were members of a temple.
Ko and the Yeh brothers, who have prior convictions for offenses including public disorder, were found in possession of suspected narcotics when arrested, police said.
When Chen was first arrested, he was found in possession of drugs, including drug-laced coffee packets and ketamine cigarettes, prosecutors said, adding that he had gang affiliations and a criminal record involving multiple cases.
