The Taoyuan City Government has removed controversial signs — suggestive of sexual harassment — from Lunping Culture Park in the municipality’s Guanyin District (觀音) and plans to replace them with mascots designed by its Department of Hakka Affairs.

One of the signs indicating the way to the park’s restrooms depicted a man peeking over a wall and staring at a woman, while the other depicted a man lifting the hem of a woman’s skirt.

The city government’s Department of Urban Development on Thursday said the signs had been designed in an attempt at humor.

Temporary signs have been put up in their place.

However, signs or acts of sexual harassment “are not funny,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said, adding that the city government had failed to do its duty by allowing such signs, which were evidently against the law.

Peeking and lifting others’ skirts are in contravention of the Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性騷擾防治法) and the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), she said.

It is a shame that Taiwan, one of the few countries in Asia upholding gender equality, could allow such signs to be displayed, she added.

DPP Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) also said that the Taoyuan City Government had erred and should not attempt to treat such topics as an attempt at humor.

The city government on Friday said that the signs would be replaced with a design of the city’s Hakka mascots, adding that the Department of Hakka Affairs is expected to complete the project by the end of the year.