photos taken by me.

3 a.m, 25 May 26, 2008, the candlelit vigil participants are being taken to police stations.

The candlelit vigil started on 2 May and repeated 18 times peacefully without any violence. Citizens have demanded renegotiation over US beef import! and recovery of quarantine sovereignty.

Korean government denied the risk of mad cow disease and posted advertisement on the major newspapers and having an open forum with governmental officers to calm down public anger but it was not enough to persuade Korean people.

Last Saturday, 24 May, People gathered in Cheonggye Plaza tried to head to Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential residence of Korea, to present their message to the president. The rallies, however, were blocked by police very soon. Police insisted that the rally on the road was illegal and they would attempt compulsory suppression if the rally continued. Police tried to retreat in the beginning because they were surrounded by too many people.

The citizen protestors restarted their marching but blocked again by police, urging dissolution of the rally. They criticized the compulsory behavior of police trying to suppress the peaceful protest and prepare for the vigil and the vigil lasted until 4 a.m. 25 May. About 100 people continued free speech and more participants gathered grabbing a taxi in the middle of the night after watching the relay from the internet. Moreover, people watching the rally provided some food and drinks to the protesters.

About 5 a.m., police started to besiege the protestors and watering truck appeared and the suppression began. Police surrounded the protestors including many number of women and sprayed water to them using watering truck and attacked them with shield. Many of them were injured during that time and even some journalists were injured also.

6 a.m., 37 protestors were rounded up including a minor. The minor was freed on afternoon.

Citizens got upset with the news of violent suppression by police but none of the press provide detailed reported about this incident. People getting information through the internet continued the protest and this happened in several places at the same time like Gwanghamoon, Seoul Station including Cheonggye Plaza where this prostest began. Police, however, suppressed the protesters in the dawn of 26 and many citizens were injure and rounded up again. The violent suppression of the police keeps happening and the shouting of the protesters heading to Shinchon can be heard until now.

(written by several people at my web comm,

pictures are also from someone there.hear us out)