Taiwan deported two Chinese nationals on Thursday after they disrupted a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents. The couple — a man identified by the surname Yao and his wife — were deported for violating Taiwan’s immigration regulations after their involvement in an altercation at the event.

The event took place on October 1 in Taipei’s Ximending area, organized by a group of Hong Kong residents to commemorate China’s upcoming National Day (October 10). According to a video posted by the group Hong Kong Outlanders, Yao seized and threw on the ground a flag featuring the slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” an action that escalated into a confrontation with attendees.

According to the National Immigration Agency, Yao and his wife initially applied for temporary entry permits to visit a family member in Taiwan at the end of September. However, the person they intended to visit had returned to China in July. The National Immigration Agency concluded that the couple knowingly violated the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area, which led to the annulment of their entry permits and their deportation on Wednesday.

In addition, Article 12(15) of the regulation provides that entry permits shall be nullified if a permit holder engages in any activities that undermine the principle of equality and dignity. The Taiwan National Immigration Agency emphasized that a permit holder’s activities must not undermine Taiwan’s dignity and status, in addition to the obligation to comply with the declared travelling purpose.

China has meanwhile introduced guidelines including severe criminal penalties for supporting Taiwan’s independence in June. Under the guidelines, “particularly serious” cases involving supporters of Taiwanese independence may result in the death penalty. 

In September, a Hong Kong court sentenced an activist for wearing a shirt with the same slogan as that at issue in the Oct. 1 Taipei incident to 14 months in prison, under the new national security legislation. The judge reasoned that displaying the slogan had the intention of disrupting peace and inciting hatred against the Hong Kong government.