Taiwanese prosecutors have indicted two men over an attack involving human feces and paint at a Taipei comedy club shortly before a performance featuring satire of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said one of the suspects was allegedly acting on instructions from an unidentified person in China and described the attack as enabling the CCP to carry out “cross-border repression” and restrict freedom of expression in Taiwan.
According to Focus Taiwan, prosecutors on Sept. 29 requested prison sentences of one year and 10 months for a 33-year-old man surnamed Liu and one year and eight months for a 35-year-old man surnamed Kuo.
Attack followed viral Xi Jinping satire
Comedian Huang Yi-hao performed a routine at Taipei’s Comedy Club in December 2025 that mocked Xi Jinping. Prosecutors said Huang uploaded clips of the performance online in January, where they circulated widely.
Huang was scheduled to return to the venue for performances on May 29 and 30. According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA), his material included references to Xi, constitutional changes allowing him to remain in power beyond previous presidential term limits, Hong Kong’s anti-extradition protests and China’s zero-COVID policy.
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Shortly before the May 29 performance, Kuo allegedly arrived at the Comedy Club with bags containing white paint mixed with human feces. Prosecutors said he threw the mixture at the venue, damaging glass, floors and walls and causing comedian Huang and club operator Chang Shuo-hsiu to fear for their safety. Some audience members subsequently sought refunds, according to CNA.
Kuo initially told police that he vandalized the club because he was upset about being unable to obtain a ticket. Investigators later determined that Liu had allegedly promised him NT$50,000—about US$1,590 — to carry out the attack.
Prosecutors said Liu paid Kuo the NT$50,000 in Taoyuan’s Guishan District early on May 30. Kuo admitted carrying out the attack during the investigation and identified Liu as the person who instructed him, while Liu denied the charges, Focus Taiwan reported.
Prosecutors allege instructions came from China
Investigators said Liu had allegedly received instructions from an unidentified person in China before recruiting Kuo to carry out the attack.
The Taipei District Prosecutors Office concluded that the attack did more than damage the Comedy Club. Prosecutors said the alleged scheme allowed the CCP to use criminal conduct to carry out “cross-border repression,” restrict the freedom of speech of Taiwanese people and interfere with democratic values, according to CNA.
Liu was indicted on charges including incitement to intimidation and property damage, while Kuo was indicted on intimidation and property damage charges.
Prosecutors argued that freedom of expression is protected by Taiwan’s Constitution and said overly lenient punishment could substantially reduce the cost of future cross-border repression.
“If this case is treated leniently, it would greatly reduce the cost of the CCP’s cross-border repression crimes,” prosecutors said in remarks reported by CNA.
Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of one year and 10 months for Liu and one year and eight months for Kuo.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office previously said it was unfamiliar with the specific circumstances surrounding the Comedy Club incident. It dismissed allegations of cross-border repression as “groundless,” while describing the vandalism as “an expression of public opinion” and declaring that “Taiwan independence is a dead end,” according to Focus Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said the government was firmly committed to countering cross-border repression. It also questioned why suspects would reset their phones to factory settings if they were merely expressing their personal opinions.
The council said anyone found cooperating with the CCP to engage in threats, infiltration or sabotage in Taiwan would be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law, CNA reported.
Taiwan points to pattern of alleged intimidation
The Comedy Club case comes amid growing concern in Taiwan about violence and harassment directed at people who criticize Beijing.
Hong Kong activist Tong Wai-hung, also known as Fu Tong, had his Taipei Muay Thai studio targeted with red paint in November 2025 and again in February 2026. Taiwanese authorities have cited the incidents while discussing suspected Chinese cross-border repression. Focus Taiwan reported that Hong Kong suspects allegedly vandalized the studio and then left Taiwan shortly afterward.
Another case occurred on July 6, when Japanese-born political commentator Akio Yaita was punched after delivering a lecture at a hotel in Taichung. Police arrested a Hong Kong resident at Taichung International Airport hours later as he allegedly attempted to leave Taiwan, according to Focus Taiwan.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said the attack bore “strong similarities” to the earlier attacks on Tong’s gym and suggested outside forces may have been involved. Authorities, however, said the investigation was continuing and the precise motive and any external direction had not been conclusively established.
An earlier case involved Causeway Bay Books founder Lam Wing-kee, who was splashed with red paint in Taipei in April 2020. Three Taiwanese men were convicted over the attack. Taiwan’s High Court later increased their sentences to between six and eight months, according to CNA.
Court records said the organizer was angered by Lam’s advocacy and views concerning Hong Kong. The available court reporting did not establish that the three men had been acting on instructions from the Chinese Communist Party.
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