Man who brought crocodile to Legislature to protest exotic pet ban fined

Taipei, Nov. 12 (CNA) A man who placed a live crocodile at the main entrance of the Legislative Yuan last month to protest a proposed ban on exotic pets has been fined NT$10,000 (US$322), according to the Taipei District Court.

The protest, by a crocodile breeder surnamed Ruan (阮), came after the Ministry of Agriculture on Oct. 8 proposed prohibiting the purchase and private breeding of raccoons, saltwater crocodiles, vipers and cobras.

The rules were subject to a public notice period and did not require Legislative approval.

At around 5 a.m. on Oct. 17, Ruan, 52, drove a small crane truck with a nearly 3-meter crocodile in the bed to the Legislative Yuan, and used the crane and a bamboo pallet to place it in front of the closed gates of the Legislature, local media reported.

Ruan was quickly arrested by police and referred to the Taipei District Court for suspected violations of the Social Order Maintenance Act.

In a summary decision issued Wednesday, the court said that Ruan had violated Article 70 of the act by allowing a dangerous animal to roam in public in the presence of other people.

The court fined him NT$10,000 -- less than the maximum of NT$12,000 or three days imprisonment -- and also ordered the seizure of his crocodile.

The incident was not Ruan's first offense of this kind. In 2018, he was arrested and fined NT$3,000 after bringing a crocodile to a protest at the Executive Yuan, the court noted.

The ruling can be appealed.