Violent protesters' activities in Taiwan should be condemned because they have violated the principle of "democracy and law", said a spokeswoman for the island's leader, Ma Ying-jeou.

Lee Chia-fei, spokeswoman for Ma's office, said on Monday morning that the protesters' occupation of a government building is unacceptable and that, as a result, the authorities had to disperse the violent protesters in line with the law, according to a report from taiwan.cn.

The spokeswoman's comment came as large crowds of people protesting a cross-Straits service trade pact broke into the building of Taiwan's "executive yuan" and clashed with police on Sunday evening.