Advertisement

Updated June 5th, 2020 at 10:05 IST

SKorean activists demand justice for George Floyd

Dozens of protesters gathered in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Friday to condemn what they described as American police brutality toward demonstrators marching against the death of George Floyd.

| Image:self
Advertisement

Dozens of protesters gathered in the South Korean capital of Seoul on Friday to condemn what they described as American police brutality toward demonstrators marching against the death of George Floyd.

Announcing a joint statement in front of the downtown U.S. Embassy, members of human rights groups and other participants also called for South Korea's government to make a statement against the "racial discrimination and state violence" of its ally.

They said South Korea should also address its own problems with racial discrimination and urged the government to push for an anti-discrimination law, which had been resisted by conservatives and church groups for years, to improve the lives migrant workers, undocumented foreigners and other minorities.

"As the U.S. civil society empowered and stood in solidarity with Korean pro-democracy activists in the past, we will now stand in solidarity with citizens in the United States," said activist Lee Sang-hyun, referring to South Koreans' bloody struggles against military dictatorships that ruled the country until the late 1980s.

"In remembering George Floyd, we also wish to eliminate discrimination in South Korea's society," Lee said, reading out a statement.

Holding a banner that read "Justice for Floyd," most of the protesters wore black and some brought flowers in honor of Floyd, who died almost two weeks ago after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into Floyd's neck for several minutes while he pleaded for air.

Pointing to the use of rubber bullets, flash grenades and low-altitude helicopter flights in Washington, D.C., the Seoul protesters accused the U.S. government and police of using excessive violence against American demonstrators, which they said was responsible for more than a dozen deaths and thousands of arrests.

They said President Donald Trump's threat to deploy his military against protesters reminded South Koreans of a bloody crackdown of pro-democracy protests in the southern city of Gwangju in 1980 that killed hundreds.

Seoul police say hundreds of people are also expected to march in the streets around the commercial district of Myeongdong on Saturday to demand justice for Floyd.

 

Advertisement

Published June 5th, 2020 at 10:05 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Jailed Gangster Mukhtar Ansari Passes Away
a few seconds ago
Ravichandran Ashwin and MS Dhoni
2 minutes ago
BREAKING: Mukhtar Ansari Suffers Heart Attack, Admitted to Hospital in Serious Condition
3 minutes ago
Superfoods
5 minutes ago
MS Dhoni lifting Ravindra Jadeja after IPL 2023 victory
11 minutes ago
नाबालिग से गैंगरेप
13 minutes ago
Rain tax to be imposed in Canada from April
21 minutes ago
Tillu Square
22 minutes ago
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar
28 minutes ago
Navi Mumbai: Man Accused Of Stealing Cardamom, Assaulted And Forced To Lick Shoes, 6 Held
29 minutes ago
Art for Hope
30 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo