Taipei Escape Room Safety Dispute: City Government Blames Central Government, Opposition Counters

The safety of escape rooms and hidden camera incidents in Taipei has sparked a political clash. Taipei City Research, Development and Evaluation Commission Chairman Yin Wei claimed Mayor Chiang Wan-an is 'dealing with' the central government's inaction. However, DPP Councilor Ho Meng-hua countered today with four facts, arguing that the city's own negligence and lack of inspections led to the tragedies. While Mayor Chiang has called for central government legislative amendments, critics label him a 'central processor' for shifting blame. Ho pointed out that the city government had already classified immersive experience venues as D-1 category in 2020, meaning they had the authority to manage them without waiting for central government directives. She argued that the tragedy stemmed from insufficient labor safety inspections, which the city government is responsible for. Ho criticized Yin for misdirecting the issue from labor safety to building regulations. Taiwan Statebuilding Party candidate Wu Hsin-tai also criticized the city government for focusing on political arguments rather than conducting comprehensive safety inspections.