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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

POLICE INVADE GANGJEONG AGAIN - MORE ARRESTS

Mayor Kang just before being arrested

Woman chained herself to heavy construction equipment

The police, many in plain clothes, invaded the village today and aggressively grabbed five protest leaders and took them to jail. Included among those arrested was Gangjeong village Mayor Kang. Mayor Kang has been on three years' probation for the charges of 'violation on the law on rally', 'obstruction on the government affairs' and ' business obstruction'. The government would love to salt him away in jail for some time.

Former U.S. Army Col. Ann Wright has just arrived in Gangjeong to show support for the villagers. In an email this morning she wrote:

I’m in Gangjeong Village on Jeju Island, South Korea and the sirens are blaring for citizens to come to the main gate of the Naval Base where construction is about to begin in an area that will destroy pristine lava fields and endanger marine life.

The siren sounds like a tsunami siren in Hawaii signaling an emergency. And that is what it is - 4 activists were arrested two hours ago, including the Mayor of Gangjeong, the cook at the camp and a member of SPARK and now 60 people have blocked front of the main gate of the base and many others at another gate.

Ten activists have locked chains around their necks and around each other and are sitting directly in front of a line of police at the gate. More arrests to follow no doubt.

You can follow the situation on Jeju Island from the new web site called Save Jeju Island

Can also find several videos from the police raid here



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