The nephew of the deputy speaker of Yunlin was prosecuted. Mazu went around the border to cause trouble and asked for a severe sentence of seven and a half years.

Cai Jincai, the son of Yunlin County Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Beigang Chaotian Palace Cai Yongxun and the nephew of People's Party legislator Cai Chunxiang, gathered more than 20 people last month to go to the residence of former legislator Zeng Cai Meizuo to commit violence and beat Zeng Cai's son and others. In the process, Zeng Cai Meizuo fell and a total of five people were injured. The Yunlin District Prosecutor's Office concluded its investigation yesterday and charged Cai Jincai and 17 others with the crime of disrupting public order. Among them, the ringleader Cai Jincai was sentenced to a maximum sentence of seven years and six months in prison for the crime.

The Yunlin District Prosecutor's Office pointed out that while 22-year-old Cai Jincai was making a Mazu circuit at Chaotian Temple in Beigang, he learned that the Tiger Lord's sedan chair was passing by Zeng Cai Meizuo's residence and the two sides had a quarrel over the issue of stopping the sedan to pay homage. At around 4 a.m. on the 7th of last month, 22 people including Lin Nan gathered in front of Zeng Cai's residence, waiting for an opportunity to cause trouble.

Mazu travels around the country and causes trouble, casting a shadow on religious activities

Cai Jincai and others had an argument with Zeng Cai's son Zeng Weibin and others. Cai pointed in the direction of Zeng Cai's residence and shouted curses on the spot. A group of people broke into the vestibule of Zeng Cai's residence armed with horses, triangular cones, plastic chairs, aluminum rods and other objects. They beat Zeng Weibin and four other people with their bare hands, kicks and attacks with objects. During the process, Zeng Cai Meizuo was pushed and fell, causing a compression fracture of the lumbar spine. Zeng Weibin and four other people were also injured.

The prosecutor said that the Beigang Chaotian Palace Mazu circumambulation event is internationally renowned. The actions of Cai and others cast a shadow of violence on the solemn and peaceful religious activities, seriously endangering public order and challenging public power.

The prosecutor pointed out that gathering a crowd to fight involves the crime of disrupting order, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, but carrying dangerous objects such as weapons can increase the sentence by one-half. Therefore, Cai Jincai was sentenced to a maximum sentence of seven years and six months, the other 14 perpetrators were sentenced to seven years, and the two who were present to help were sentenced to one year.

Cai Jincai, who is in custody, was transferred to the Yunlin District Court for trial. The judge yesterday ordered him to pay a bail of NT$300,000, restricted his travel abroad, and prohibited him from harassing or contacting witnesses.