Police Begin Forced Dispersal of Irregular Workers' Nighttime Cultural Festival in Front of Supreme Court

On the 9th, the police forcibly dispersed a 1-night, 2-day overnight cultural festival held by irregular workers in front of the Supreme Court.

Police are forcibly dispersing participants of the two-day cultural festival organized by the irregular workers' group "Stop Irregular Work Joint Struggle" on the afternoon of the 9th on the sidewalk near the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The "Stop Irregular Employment Joint Struggle" (Joint Struggle) held a second overnight cultural festival from around 6:30 PM on the sidewalk in front of the East Gate of the Supreme Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul. According to the organizers, about 200 people, including irregular workers, activists, and citizens, gathered at the event. They urged a swift conclusion to the trials of companies such as Korea GM, Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Kia Motors, and Asahi Glass, which are facing lawsuits for illegal dispatch allegations.

The nighttime cultural festival is not subject to notification under the Assembly and Demonstration Act. The police judged the event as an unnotified assembly and responded by surrounding the Supreme Court area with steel fences from around 3 PM and deploying 12 units of police personnel.

Before the cultural festival, at around 6:20 PM, the Joint Struggle group performed a demonstration by stepping onto the crosswalk with a large banner and body placards during the pedestrian signal at the intersection in front of Exit 6 of Seoul Subway Line 2 near the Supreme Court. After activists performed twice, tension rose when the police blocked their attempt to enter the middle of the crosswalk for a third performance.

Subsequently, the police issued warning broadcasts 15 times until around 9:20 PM and issued three dispersal orders in the name of the Seocho Police Chief. At around 9:22 PM, the police deployed personnel and forcibly dispersed the participants by pushing them onto the sidewalk opposite the Supreme Court.