Taiwanese KMT Candidate's 'Hunger Strike' Mocked After Apparent Admission to Eating

A hunger strike protest organized by the Kuomintang (KMT) in Taiwan has been met with ridicule after one of its participants appeared to admit to eating during the action. The protest, held near the Presidential Office Building in Taipei, was intended to support a larger demonstration against alleged food safety issues.

KMT candidates, including Taipei City Councilor candidate He Yuan-kai, began a "relay hunger strike" on July 19, vowing to continue until July 25. The action aimed to show solidarity with a planned large-scale protest on July 25. However, observers noted that participants sometimes disappeared from live streams of the protest, leading to accusations of sneaking out to eat.

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No! Not at all! It was just going to eat something.

When questioned about these accusations, He Yuan-kai initially denied them, stating that those leaving the livestream were merely going to the restroom. However, in a subsequent statement, he seemed to inadvertently confirm the eating, saying, "Many young birds [a term for young KMT supporters] are using this to say... we snuck out to eat or something... No! Not at all! It was just going to eat something."

This apparent slip of the tongue quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread mockery. Online commenters sarcastically noted the distinction between "sneaking out to eat" and "just going to eat," with some quipping that the KMT's actions were so inept they might lose China. Others found humor in the situation, with one comment stating, "No sneaking out, just openly going to eat, you guys [referring to the critics] love to spread rumors!"

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No sneaking out, just openly going to eat, you guys love to spread rumors!