Taipei City Director of Cultural Affairs Lee Yung-ping and City Law and Regulation Commission Director Yeh Ching-yuan headed a team of workers to pull down the banners. The group also dismantled the scaffolding erected in front of the memorial's main gate and took down the canvas covering the structure's original plaque, which is inscribed with has the building's original name, National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

Lee said his team did not face any attempts to hinder their work as the banners and the scaffolding were taken down.

Lee told assembled reporters that the city government had decided on its course of action because the hall's administration, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, appeared to be ignoring the city government's ruling.

The administration did not take any steps to follow the city government's demand for the removal of the obstructions blocking the cultural site from view, even after it was fined twice over the past two days for violating a provision of the Cultural Assets Preservation Law.

The Council for Cultural Affairs said last night in a statement that the hanging of the banners did not violate the Cultural Assets Preservation Law because the manner in which they were hung did not damage the hall itself.

The removal of the banners was heavily criticized by the MOE.

Minister of the Education Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝) was at first reluctant to comment on the matter, but later said briefly that "any brutal acts are bad," and that "all institutions have to abide by the law."

Vice Minister of the Education Chou Tsan-de stressed that the MOE's actions were in conformity with the law, and criticized the city government as abusing its power.

Chou, on behalf of the MOE, strongly expressed his objection to the removal of the banners.

He added that the MOE will hang the banners again after it has confirmed with the CAA whether doing so is a violation of the Cultural Assets Preservation Law, and will consult the Construction and Planning Agency on the legality of the move.

The CPA, in response, said last night that the city government cannot impose penalties for the hanging of the banners, because the banners are not commercial signs.

Tseng Kun-ti, curator of the hall, told reporters that he strongly condemned the bandit-like behavior of the city government.

The controversy surrounding the renaming of the hall, which was originally called "National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall," was rekindled when a ceremony to unveil a plaque bearing the new name was held at the site last Saturday. President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) defined the name-change as symbolizing a farewell to old times and affirming the Taiwanese people's firm belief in democracy.

Officials of the Taipei City government were furious and said they felt "cheated" during the ceremony, as the memorial hall administration had covered the original name plate on the building with canvas, hung banners and erected scaffolding in what the municipal government called an attempt to hide from view the magnificent building dedicated to the late President Chiang Kai-shek.

The city government imposed an NT$100,000 fine on the MOE last Sunday for violation of the law. The MOE said it will file administrative appeals against the penalty.

Construction workers were building new scaffolding at the front gate of the hall last night, and local Chinese-language media outlets reported that the banners would be replaced.