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South Korean police repress massive anti-government protest

Revolution News - November 14, 2015

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Jennifer Baker – Over 130K workers, farmers, students and ordinary citizens, some with children and family members, joined a peaceful and massive rally in Seoul on November 14.

Police used tear gas and capsaicin-laced (pepper spray) in water cannons against demonstrators demanding the resignation of conservative President Park Geun-hye.

The rally, organized by the Korean Confederation of Trade Union KCTU was planned for over a year. It was a deliberate, planned, organized, legal, legitimate and peaceful rally against labor reforms and state-issued history textbooks.

Police officers had strategically parked busses to prevent access to the roads leading to the presidential Blue House, the destination of the massive march. Officers also tried, to arrest KCTU president Han Sang-goon while he was speaking, but Members of KCTU managed to block the attempted arrest.

The blocking of the march route and attempted arrest of KCTU president Han Sang-goon escalated the massive demonstration into a violent confrontation.

The Korean riot police began to use powerful toxic water canons, indiscriminately against the peaceful citizen protesters and arrested more than 80 people, including high school students (minors).

Among the many who were injured is a 69-year old farmer who was blasted to the ground by the powerful water cannons and suffered a severe head injury. Video below shows the moment the man was targeted by the water cannon and fell to the ground causing serious head injury.

Even after the farmer fell, the police continued to shoot its toxic water canons against the old farmer, citizens who tried to rescue him and reporters. The police continued to shoot the toxic water canons even on the ambulance from behind.

The 69-year farmer has been taken to the hospital and is currently in critical condition.

Feuled by the police repression of the rally people remained well into the night, lighting torches and marching on the police barricade.

Source: http://revolution-news.com/south-korean-police-repress-massive-anti-government-protest/.