World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Taipei Pride draws huge crowds after police raid on gay bar
Tens of thousands joined Taiwan’s annual Pride parade in Taipei on Saturday, celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Organizers estimated about 150,000 participants, while another account put the crowd at more than 170,000.
The march followed a police raid on a Taipei gay bar earlier this month, when officers took 51 patrons in for questioning and arrested the owner.
Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2019, but the raid prompted protests and renewed concerns about discrimination.
Mayor Chiang Wan-an faced angry shouts at the parade over the raid and apologized for its impact.
He said authorities would conduct a rigorous investigation and discipline officers, while some officers had already been disciplined, according to local media.
Organizers called for more efforts to promote inclusion and challenge stigma against LGBTQ+ people.
Tens of thousands of people joined Taiwan’s annual Pride parade in Taipei on Saturday, amid differing estimates of the crowd size.
The Associated Press reported that organizers estimated about 150,000 participants, while the Straits Times reported more than 170,000.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an received angry shouts after appearing at the parade, following a police raid on a gay bar earlier in the month.
The raid led to protests and prompted parade organizers to revise this year’s theme.
Organizers called for further efforts to promote inclusivity and combat stigma against the LGBTQ+ community.
- Who
- Tens of thousands of parade participants, including LGBTQ+ community supporters, joined the event.
- What
- Taiwan’s annual Pride parade took place, with organizers urging greater inclusivity and action against stigma.
- When
- Saturday, October 31, 2026.
- Where
- Taipei, Taiwan.
- Why
- Participants celebrated inclusivity and supported the LGBTQ+ community; organizers also called for efforts to combat stigma.
Pride participants and raid critics
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an
Police raid
Pride participants and raid critics
Critics condemned the raid on a gay bar and called for an end to such actions.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an
Chiang apologized for the impact on those affected and said there would be a rigorous investigation and immediate discipline.
Police raided the Commander D bar in Taipei, took 51 people in for questioning and arrested the owner.
Protests took place, and Pride organisers revised this year’s theme.
Tens of thousands joined the Pride parade in Taipei.
Mayor Chiang Wan-an appeared briefly at the parade and received shouts from protesters.
- Crowd estimate — AP
- Organisers estimated around 150,000 participants.
- Crowd estimate — Straits Times
- More than 170,000 participants.
- Raid location
- Commander D bar, Ximen, Taipei.
- People questioned
- 51
- Same-sex marriage legalised
- Taiwan legalised it in 2019, the first place in Asia to do so.
4 sources
What people are saying
I already said this earlier: I apologise for the impact on those affected
reawakened the historical trauma of sexually and gender-diverse communities long subjected to oppression by state authorities
My parents are still not supportive. They don’t want to talk about it.
ridiculous and unbelievable