Despite Court Ban on Protests... Yoon Supporters Stage Sit-in at West District Court Entrance

Defying Police Orders to Disperse
Supporters of President Yoon Stage Sit-in at Court

Yonhap News

On the 18th, supporters of President Yoon Seok-yeol have been staging a sit-in protest in front of the Seoul Western District Court since the day before the detention hearing (warrant review) for President Yoon.

At around 8 p.m. on the 17th, more than 100 supporters of President Yoon were sitting at the court entrance, refusing to move despite police orders to disperse. The police deployed riot squads to push them aside, but strong resistance led to repeated scuffles.

Cho Jeong-hoon, a member of the People Power Party representing the local district, visited the scene and tried to persuade the protesters to "move to the nearby sidewalk and protest safely," but this instead provoked backlash from the demonstrators.

According to the Assembly and Demonstration Act, assemblies are prohibited within 100 meters of the court.

However, since the previous night, supporters gathered near the Western District Court to block the request for President Yoon’s detention warrant, clashing with police throughout the night. At around 6:50 p.m. on the day, an unofficial police estimate counted 300 people gathered, and the number continues to grow.

They held placards with phrases such as "We will fight together with President Yoon Seok-yeol" and shouted slogans like "Dismiss the warrant," confronting the police. During the protest, two women fell and were transported to the hospital.

The Western District Court closed the entrance gates to the court premises from 7 p.m., when the warrant review schedule was announced.