Tens of thousands of protestors have returned to the streets of Taiwan, while more than a thousand stayed throughout a rainy night following Saturday's mass rally demanding the resignation of the island's leader Chen Shui-bian.

 

Shih Ming-tech, the former chairman of Chen's party the DPP, lead the mass protest that saw 300,000 people on Saturday voice their contempt over Chen's alleged corruption.

 

Clad in the same colored T-shirts, the protesters formed a sea of red in front of Chen's office in downtown Taipei.

 

By mid afternoon Sunday, thousands of protesters again began to assemble downtown, shouting slogans while giving the thumbs-down sign on Chen's administration, which has become a trademark gesture of the protest.

 

Shih said on Saturday afternoon that the sit-in would last until Chen resigns.

 

Despite rain, which never let up throughout the night, protesters continued their chants for Chen to step down. Soaked to the core, a number of bare-chested men entertained those who remained overnight by composing comic rhymes about some of Chen's family members who are accused of graft taking and influence peddling.

 

On Sunday morning citizens brought breakfast to the protesters.

 

A Taiwan newspaper opinion poll showed that 68.5 percent of respondents support the campaign to oust Chen Shui-bian.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2006)