This is the first in a two-part series on street rallies. ― ED
By Jhoo Dong-chan
On Nov. 14, police and protestors clashed violently, leaving hundreds injured, following a massive rally held on streets near the presidential house in central Seoul.
Such violent rallies ― no matter who is ultimately responsible ― cause significant inconvenience for ordinary citizens despite the intentions of the protests.
If the street rallies result in public uproar instead of promoting public support for a cause, then some people wonder whether there is any point to them.
"Hold flowers instead of steel pipes!" This is the growing call from protesters who want to keep the street rallies free of violence.
For decades, demonstrations organized by civic and labor groups have often turned violent here.
Rally organizers say physical clashes are often inevitable because of violent crackdowns by police on them.
However, violent acts by participants damage not only people and property, but also detract from the purpose of such demonstrations.
Following the massive anti-government rally on Nov. 14, hundreds of demonstrators and police officers were injured and one 68-year-old farmer remains in a coma after he was hit by a jet of water fired from a water cannon.
However, a second massive rally on Dec. 5 set an example, ending peacefully even though the organizers were the same ones as the first rally.
The organizers repeatedly promised a peaceful rally before the big day. Police initially issued a ban against it, but Seoul Administrative Court ruled that the ban was improper, and the demonstration was allowed to take place.
Th participants did not use violence, although many playfully wore masks in defiance of a police crackdown on anyone wearing masks following comments from the President in which she drew comparisons between members of the Islamic State (IS) concealing their faces and protestors wearing disguises.
Human rights Prof. Jang Sung-jin of Howon University said that any form of violence should not be accepted.
"Not only protesters but also police used excessive force during the demonstration on Nov. 14 because both sides were all too agitated," Jang said.
Such violence should not be allowed on both sides, he said.
"I believe both sides have learned their lesson from the Nov. 14 demonstration and reached an invisible consensus to avoid violence during the second rally."
Police also did not deploy water cannons or park buses to form temporary barricades during the second rally, to corral demonstrators as they marched peacefully to their destination, preventing any traffic congestion.
Still, the rally organizers blame the police for other rallies that ended in violence.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the organizers of the Nov. 14 and Dec. 5 rallies, denounced the police and the government for provoking the violence.
"It has always been the police that lead to violent situations," KCTU spokesman Park Seong-sik said. "The physical clash was also caused by the barricades set by police buses and their water cannons. If they did not violently crack down on us, there would not have been such a clash. We exercised our right to resist against unlawful and excessive use of police power."
Park admitted that some union members went too far, such as wielding steel pipes, but said the protester's violent acts were accidental because they were agitated by the situation.
However, some observers don‘t buy his claim.
"I do not believe the eruption of violence was accidental," said Baekseok University police science Prof. Kim Sang-gyun.
"There are hardliners and moderates within the KCTU. Although such actions were committed by a few members, hardliners have often resorted to violent actions in order to demonstrate their agenda to the public."
He said that in many rallies, there are protesters who are not directly related to the rallies' purposes but just participate to voice their own interests.
"I wish both sides will make greater efforts to make rallies peaceful," he said.
By Jhoo Dong-chan
On Nov. 14, police and protestors clashed violently, leaving hundreds injured, following a massive rally held on streets near the presidential house in central Seoul.
Such violent rallies ― no matter who is ultimately responsible ― cause significant inconvenience for ordinary citizens despite the intentions of the protests.
If the street rallies result in public uproar instead of promoting public support for a cause, then some people wonder whether there is any point to them.
"Hold flowers instead of steel pipes!" This is the growing call from protesters who want to keep the street rallies free of violence.
For decades, demonstrations organized by civic and labor groups have often turned violent here.
Rally organizers say physical clashes are often inevitable because of violent crackdowns by police on them.
However, violent acts by participants damage not only people and property, but also detract from the purpose of such demonstrations.
Following the massive anti-government rally on Nov. 14, hundreds of demonstrators and police officers were injured and one 68-year-old farmer remains in a coma after he was hit by a jet of water fired from a water cannon.
However, a second massive rally on Dec. 5 set an example, ending peacefully even though the organizers were the same ones as the first rally.
The organizers repeatedly promised a peaceful rally before the big day. Police initially issued a ban against it, but Seoul Administrative Court ruled that the ban was improper, and the demonstration was allowed to take place.
Th participants did not use violence, although many playfully wore masks in defiance of a police crackdown on anyone wearing masks following comments from the President in which she drew comparisons between members of the Islamic State (IS) concealing their faces and protestors wearing disguises.
Human rights Prof. Jang Sung-jin of Howon University said that any form of violence should not be accepted.
"Not only protesters but also police used excessive force during the demonstration on Nov. 14 because both sides were all too agitated," Jang said.
Such violence should not be allowed on both sides, he said.
"I believe both sides have learned their lesson from the Nov. 14 demonstration and reached an invisible consensus to avoid violence during the second rally."
Police also did not deploy water cannons or park buses to form temporary barricades during the second rally, to corral demonstrators as they marched peacefully to their destination, preventing any traffic congestion.
Still, the rally organizers blame the police for other rallies that ended in violence.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the organizers of the Nov. 14 and Dec. 5 rallies, denounced the police and the government for provoking the violence.
"It has always been the police that lead to violent situations," KCTU spokesman Park Seong-sik said. "The physical clash was also caused by the barricades set by police buses and their water cannons. If they did not violently crack down on us, there would not have been such a clash. We exercised our right to resist against unlawful and excessive use of police power."
Park admitted that some union members went too far, such as wielding steel pipes, but said the protester's violent acts were accidental because they were agitated by the situation.
However, some observers don‘t buy his claim.
"I do not believe the eruption of violence was accidental," said Baekseok University police science Prof. Kim Sang-gyun.
"There are hardliners and moderates within the KCTU. Although such actions were committed by a few members, hardliners have often resorted to violent actions in order to demonstrate their agenda to the public."
He said that in many rallies, there are protesters who are not directly related to the rallies' purposes but just participate to voice their own interests.
"I wish both sides will make greater efforts to make rallies peaceful," he said.
