Taiwan charges five over alleged plot against comedian

Taiwanese prosecutors have charged five people over an alleged paid plot to injure comedian Huang Yihao and prevent him from performing, saying a Chinese individual directed the scheme after Huang mocked the Chinese Communist Party and President Xi Jinping. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office said the accused were involved in tracking Huang and arranging a staged traffic collision. Prosecutors alleged that the plan was to break his arms and legs so he would be unable to appear onstage. Huang was struck by a car while riding his scooter on September 11 and was lightly injured, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors identified the alleged Chinese organizer only as K. They said K paid people in Taiwan to monitor Huang and stage the collision. The charges followed an investigation into the incident; the allegations have not been established in court. Prosecutors said two of the defendants admitted involvement in the plan. Huang said the car struck both him and his scooter. In public comments after the incident, he connected the attack to his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party and questioned whether freedom of speech in Taiwan could be maintained if the party ever...