By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Who was behind the candlelit protest against American beef imports that lit up the streets of downtown Seoul and major cities nationwide? Was it the progressive and ``impure'' people seeking to ``overthrow'' society, as police concluded?
Some police insiders have come up with a new idea ㅡ the protests were pure expressions of the general public's resentment of the government, and police should deal with such cases with ``respect'' and ``flexibility,'' they said.
Prof. Kwon Yong-cheol of the National Central Police Academy and Prof. Lim Seung-taek of the Korea National Police University, both high ranking officials in the police hierarchy, stood against the police's excessive suppression of the events.
Kwon said candlelit protestors took to the streets on their own, just like the April 19 pro-democratic movement in 1960 and March 1 Liberation Declaration Movement in 1919 under Japanese colonial rule (1910-1945).
He said the few progressive activists, whom the police chose as agitators, lost power during the protest movement. ``They came up with theories against the free trade agreement with the U.S. but did not lead the protests rather they followed the crowd,'' he said.
Kwon stressed that police should be more open to change in society and acknowledge that the protest was led by teenagers, women and senior citizens.
Lim said police need to guarantee ordinary citizens' rights to ``hold protests and gatherings.'' However, he said they have tried to restrain such gatherings by declaring the nighttime protests illegal. ``The Constitution actually allows all kinds of protests but some police rules are hindering their spirit,'' he said.
Currently, chiefs of police stations approve of protests if they are ``peaceful'' enough and the candlelit protests were considered near-rebellion and later prohibited, he said.
The candlelit protests first ignited on May 2, with several Internet users expressing their objection toward government policies. They carried on until late August.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
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