"Harboring Grudge, Bringing Weapon to Crime" Convenience Store Part-Timer Killed in Taiwan for Asking to Wear Mask

Series of Assaults at Taiwan Convenience Stores... President: "Will Strengthen Protective Gear and Night Patrols"

A convenience store part-time worker in Taiwan was killed for asking a customer to wear a mask. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. Photo by Pixabay

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] In Taiwan, an incident occurred where a 'no-mask' customer killed a convenience store employee who requested mask-wearing.

According to Taiwan United News Network on the 23rd, at 5 a.m. on the 21st, at a convenience store in Guishan District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, Mr. Jiang (蔣, 41) wielded a weapon against employee Mr. Cai (蔡, 30), who asked him to wear a mask. Mr. Cai was transported to the hospital but died from excessive bleeding. It was revealed that Mr. Jiang, dissatisfied with Mr. Cai's recommendation to wear a mask, went home to get a weapon and then committed the crime.

Recently, incidents of convenience store employees being exposed to violence while guiding mask-wearing have been occurring repeatedly in Taiwan. On the 19th of last month, in Pingtung County, a convenience store employee who guided a customer to wear a mask was assaulted and faced the risk of losing sight, and on the 23rd, in Taichung City, a convenience store employee suffered a concussion and fractures.

As these incidents occurred consecutively and voices demanding the protection of convenience store employees' safety grew louder in Taiwanese society, President Tsai Ing-wen announced on her Facebook on the 22nd that "the government and industry will discuss measures to strengthen protective equipment using science, technology, and software, as well as increase nighttime patrols for convenience store night workers."

Taiwan's COVID-19 epidemic control tower, the Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center, stated, "Encouraging customers to wear masks is not the responsibility of the general public," recommending that the convenience store industry replace mask-wearing guidance with signs or broadcasts and report 'no-mask' customers to the police for handling.

Meanwhile, the convenience store industry has declared a 'staff protection' policy. The convenience store chain Hi-Life (萊爾富) stated, "We will not have employees guide customers to wear masks," and asked customers to cooperate as mask-wearing guidance signs are posted inside and outside the stores. Other convenience store and supermarket chains are also reportedly replacing mask-wearing guidance with broadcasts to protect employees.