TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Police were looking for the authors of graffiti covering Mass Rapid Transit trains in Taichung City and Kaohsiung City, reports said Friday (Aug. 25).
The culprits could face fines up to NT$1 million (US$31,400) for trespassing and for damaging the trains, the Liberty Times reported. Graffiti is extremely rare in Taiwan, especially on public transportation.
In Taichung, two men reportedly entered the MRT system Thursday (Aug. 24) evening to spray paint a train near the Xinwuri high-speed rail station. Signing the tags “STEB” and “HASH” on the carriages took about 15 minutes, but they were able to leave before anybody noticed.
A team cleaned up the train and found no damage to its mechanical systems. The MRT company said it would demand severe punishment for the taggers, while it added it had stepped up security to prevent new incidents.
At two MRT depots in Kaohsiung City, drivers about to start work after 4 a.m. Friday discovered that their trains had also been covered in graffiti during the night, per CNA. The MRT company asked police to investigate, while providing the drivers with clean trains.
The perpetrators would face a demand for compensation, according to the company, which added their graffiti work had no esthetic value at all.
