• 'A baby stroller mom' stopped police water cannons at Kwanwhamun on 2 A.M.
• read: 14 08-06-29 07:19 by PRESS (72.♡.102.103)

(I'm requesting that this article may be posted on your web sight, because what the S,Korean government and polices are doing to their citizens (who are protesting against the open market beef trade, impeachment of our new president Lee Myung Bak, and more) are unjust and immoral- shooting water cannons at full blast, firing fire hydrants, attacking with their metal shields, and now they are threatning to fire pepperfog at unarmed protesters. I think that it should be known and such situations should alert awareness of our society. This is just one of the many events that had occurred a while ago. Thank you.)

Mr.Lee was elected as the president of our country (South Korea) 4 months ago. Now we all know that we were deceived and as a result, the democracy in our country fell down.
However, we’re so proud of our Korean people such as the mom reported in this article and firmly stand by them. That is the reason why I translated this article to share the story with you.
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‘A baby stroller mom’ stopped police water cannons at Kwangwhamun on 2 AM

[Hankyore]

A mom in her thirties blocked the riot police and declared “why do the police use my tax money to crack down on innocent people”

The mom kept resisting the riot police for 34 min even though they teased and attempted to push her and her baby in the stroller aside. Then finally two water cannon tanks turned back.









As a press reporter, I was on the street in front of Saemunan Church at Kwangwhamun, Seoul on 1:31 A.M., June 26. Shoved by the riot police into an alleyway near the church, a group of candlelight protesters stood frightened.

At 1:32 A.M., thousands of riot police equipped with metallic shields began to strut from a nearby police station. The 8 traffic lanes were soon jammed. I couldn’t even see the end of the squad. Two water cannon tanks emerged behind them.

8 traffic lanes completely filled with riot police marching threatfully with their shields hitting the ground.

At 1:40 A.M., the riot police started to push the protesters away from Saemunan to Kwangwhamun. They lifted their shields up at shoulder length and pounded it furiously against the ground. They shouted unclear words all together after the seniors’ shouting. Some women in the protesters turned pale with fright. There were women crying frozen stiff. The protesters were pressed back to Kwangwhamun.

At 1:41 A.M., two water cannon tanks followed right after the riot police. “Move Faster! Seize all those defying protesters! Now! Stop and snatch those holding flags! Hurry up!” Angry outbursts commanding orders from a microphone came out constantly. Inside one of the behemoth water canons was a headquarter leading the movement of the police. The whirring from the pumping engine started to sound. The water cannons began to shoot the protesters. The protesters were soaked by the cold water and shivering on a night at the end of June, even though it was the beginning of summer. Their lips turned purple in no time. The protesters were pushed helplessly in front of the powerful riot police and water cannon.

At 1:48 A.M. another grey water cannon tank took turn shooting water instead of the previous yellow cannon and started bursting out water. The water seemed to go twice as far. A water cannon tank can be filled up to 6500 liters and it can go as far as 7.5 miters.

When the riot police dragged the baby stroller mom, she yelled “don’t you dare try to touch my baby!”

1:52 A.M. Finally, the grey water cannon stopped. The yellow tank was about to take the turn. It was at that moment, the mom in her thirties walked out with a baby in a stroller blocking the yellow water cannon. Several police men rushed to her to drag her out. The mother shouted “Don’t ever dare to touch this stroller. Don’t lay a finger on my baby.” The police men were startled with her firm attitude and moved back. People surrounded her and her baby to protect and said, ”A baby is here.” The police seemed flustered. The engine from the yellow water cannon car stopped and its whizzing sound dyed out.
Soon other group of the riot police swarmed in with their shields. They shouted out the rallying words slamming their shields on the ground.
People complained, ”you are frightening the baby.” The mom stood silent. The riot police moved back a little bit.
The yellow water cannon tank moved back at the moment. The gray water cannon tank now seemed to in charge. A stronger sound came from the engine, alarming that the water cannon is ready to shoot. The mom walked the way to the front of the gray tank. The police also moved to stop her, with no avail.

Baby’s small feet showed from the stroller, alas! Tears in my eyes.








At 1:55 A.M. The mom stood again in front of the grey water cannon tank. The police seemed to hesitate but soon formed their lines. The mom lifted her eyes to the sky and covered her face with her hand. A short sigh came out. Her eyes wet. What thoughts were in her minds at the moment?
As a father of two kids, I couldn’t say any word but to stand there.
At 2:01 A.M., the riot police stepped back. The policemen in grey uniforms surrounded the carriage instead. Some of them were chewing gums with menace look. One of them standing behind the stroller tried to lift the cover of the stroller. He was the one with chewing gum. His face seemed to be asking ‘who knows if she is faking with a doll instead?’. The citizens protested “how dare”. The policeman stood back again in a distasteful looks.
Reporters with cameras rushed in and started taking pictures with flash. The mom refused, “don’t take a picture of my face, please.” She was wearing a cap, but she didn’t cover her face with her hands.
That was the moment when the stroller tumbled a lot. The baby’s feet emerged out from the stroller. I couldn’t help thinking about what this baby is going through in this roaring sound and flickering flash. My eyes filled with tears.

“I am just an ordinary mom. Why do you give me no other choice but to stand out here?”

At 2:10 A.M., several policewomen were sent in. The command from behind said, “Remove the stroller to a pedestrian road right now”. The policewomen surrounded the stroller and the mom asking “why don’t you move to the pedestrian side, let’s walk and turn to left”. The mom didn’t budge. “I will walk straight. I have a right to walk as I want on any street constructed with my tax money.” She turned them down unequivocally.
At 2:15 A.M., one of chief police officers commanded “Ok, enough. Lead her to a pedestrian walkway”. The policewomen urged her to move. The mom lifted up her voice again, “I will only follow the water cannon tanks, which ever way it goes. Why do you fire us with fire hydrant, threat the people with shields, and shoot water cannons? What are you doing such things with our tax money paid by citizens?” her voice was not in high pitch but didn’t shake.

And then a policewoman in her middle age said with grumbling voice “What kind of mother are you, throwing her baby in this dangerous place?”. The mom replied back,“I am just an ordinary mom. I am a good housekeeper and was doing my best for the family so far. Why do you force me to be on the street? I will just walk straight. I will walk away if the cars (water cannon trucks) move away.”

At 2:20 A.M., the policeman with the chewing gum stood back against the stroller and complained “well, I have back problems. Do not push me with the stroller”. A citizen standing beside her told back, “how can you be hit by a stroller”. The policeman leered again, “can I see the face your proud baby?”. The mom showed no change in her face.

At 2:23 A.M. the water cannon truck moved back a little. The policeman urged her again, ”walk to the pedestrian road.” She replied, ”I will stand here all night unless the water cannon tanks move away.”

“I will stand here all night unless the water cannon tanks move away.”

At 2:26 A.M. A chief policeman came back again. “Move the water cannon truck and the riot police away.” Finally the truck started, moved back, and made a U-turn to Seodaemun.
At 2:27 A.M. the mom started to walk way to Seodaemun pushing the stroller. The policemen tried to surround the stroller again, at the moment the chief shouted, “Do not touch the stroller, don’t even go near her.” They pulled back.

The mom stared in the direction of Seodaemun where the water cannon tanks disappeared and slowly pushed the stroller. I followed them, but I couldn’t talk to her. I am also a parent before being a reporter, so I just followed her quietly.

At the dawn of June 26, 2008, the people startled by the water shoot from Seodeaemun would not know the reason why the water cannons stopped all of sudden. I am reporting the reason here. A mom was there with her baby to block two water cannon tanks.

Reporter Lee, Taehee

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