Police to crack down on illegal street protests

By Kim Tae-jong

Police pledged Tuesday to crack down on any illegal activities during street protests, sending a warning ahead of a massive street rally scheduled for today.

“There have been several street rallies in which protestors often occupied streets and caused the public inconvenience,” an official from the National Police Agency (NPA) said. “We’ll not allow such illegal activities to happen again.”

The move came as a massive street rally is scheduled Wednesday to celebrate the June 29 democratic movement in 1987, which made then authoritarian President Chun Doo-hwan promise a direct popular vote to elect the next president.

Protestors blocking the streets cannot be tolerated, the official said.

“A rally involving some 30,000 on Wednesday has been reported to us. Organizers have publicly talked about a march toward the presidential house, which cannot be allowed for the maintenance of public order,” he said.

Police made it clear that they will apprehend protestors who are involved in any illegal activities such as joining illegal marches or assaulting riot police officers under the “no mercy” rule and take legal action accordingly, he said.

The officer said police will also take tougher action against other illegal rallies, including ongoing candlelit protests calling for the government to halve university tuition.