Nazi remarks by DPP supporter reignite debate on dissent

Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) A political influencer's controversial Nazi-related remarks have reignited debate over how the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) handles political dissent, drawing sharp reactions from across Taiwan's political spectrum.

The controversy began when YouTuber Chen Po-yuan (陳柏源) posted a video on Sunday cutting ties with fellow influencer Pa Chiung (八炯), citing his increasingly extreme behavior during a campaign to recall opposition lawmakers.

Chen said Pa Chiung had proposed ahead of an April recall rally to introduce a Nazi-style salute, form a "stormtrooper unit," and single out a group to scapegoat, like the Nazi did with "the Jews," as part of a dramatic anti-communist display.

Pa Chiung also created a logo resembling the Nazi eagle, which appeared prominently at the event and drew concerns, although he denied the symbolism at the time.

Chen, who attended the rally, said he decided to come forward to protect the civic movement's democratic values from further damage.

On Monday, the German Institute in Taipei condemned the incident, calling the Holocaust "one of the darkest crimes in history" and warning against any use of Nazi symbols, gestures, or rhetoric.

Facing public backlash, Pa Chiung released an apology video, calling his remarks a private joke taken out of context. He promised to reduce his offline activism going forward.

The case quickly turned political. Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) warned that Nazi rhetoric endangers democracy and accused the DPP of tolerating extremists.

DPP lawmaker Puma Shen (沈伯洋), who also attended the April rally, urged caution in using historical references, but said the controversy would not affect the upcoming Aug. 23 recall vote targeting seven KMT legislators.

In the recall movement, "it's natural for some differences in direction or disagreements to emerge," he said.

Meanwhile, the DPP condemned the use of Nazi symbols and stressed that such expressions have no place in a democratic society on Monday, while it also accused the KMT of double standards.

The DPP pointed out that Nazi imagery has also appeared at KMT-led rallies, without apology, and criticized Chu for frequently invoking Nazi comparisons when attacking President Lai Ching-te (賴清德).

In May, Chu stirred backlash for comparing Lai's handling of the opposition to Adolf Hitler's rule, just as prosecutors began probing forged signatures in KMT recall petitions.

At the time, the German representative office in Taipei called Chu's comments "profoundly troubling," warning against trivializing history.