Interesting

Apparently, one of the reasons the DPP didn't apply for a two day permit for the 5/17 protest, even though they were planning a 24 hour sit in at the end of it, was because another civic group had a permit for 5/18m but apparently the Taipei City government has convinced them to rescind their application, so Mayor Hau is now asking the DPP to apply for the 18th as well to avoid an illegal aspect to the sit in.

(update: this CNA article didn't say who had right son the 18th, but Arther Dent reports the group was the KMT, while Robert R. points out that the China Times reported the KMT permit had been rejected; now Hau claims things were negotiated with the group that had road rights? What gives? And why did the CNA article fail to identify the previous applicant? More "help out the Ma administration" editorial pressure at work?).

But the DPP says no, they won't apply.

Since, I think, the contents of the Parade and Assembly Law have become such a critical focus of the 5/17 protest, and because how the law will be amended may well depend on what unusual happenings are seen at the 5/17 protest and subsequent sit in, I guess the point they're trying to make is that the law is already too strict and likely to get stricter.

I would just apply I think. Choose your battles wisely.

Further update: Well, according to DPP Tsai Ing-wen's latest comments, the DPP had applied for the right to assemble on the 18th in the first place, but it was the KMT's application to hold the ground that day (despite not having any plans to assemble) which prevented the DPP's application from being approved. So the DPP has no intention to re-apply for the 18th and will hold their all night vigil according to plans, to hell with KMT antics.

Given this information that had slipped by me in the first place, I'm going to have to side with Tsai's interpretation and say don't play their game.

Tsai also notes that while Ma invited her to visit him after the 5/17 rally at the presidential palace, she believes the invitation lacks sincerity and is just grandstanding.

I would say that such a meeting could either turn into a good opportunity to rearticulate the points she made at George Washington earlier, but more likely would just a way for the KMT to shift attention away from the rally and to the discussion, where the DPP's presentation time would effectively be cut in half.