Anti-U.S. Beef Groups Found Responsible for Illegal Protests

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Friday that investigation of materials seized from the offices of the People’s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease and the People’s Solidarity for Social Progress revealed that the two groups masterminded the recent illegal and violent protests. The two organizations have opposed resumption of U.S. beef imports.

A police source on Friday said, “We raided their offices on June 30 as part of the crackdown on violent protests and found evidence that they have orchestrated the violent rallies from the beginning of the candlelight vigils. Based on this evidence, we are seeking to prosecute them.”

Police say that items confiscated from the People’s Association for Measures Against Mad Cow Disease office contain detailed plans of protest strategies including blocking the advance of riot police buses with sandbags and drawing slogans on streets and so on. Some computer files seized from the People’s Solidarity for Social Progress also contain information on protest tactics including the amount of sand, how many bags needed, and so on.

Police say that the People’s Solidarity for Social Progress has instigated civic groups to engage in violent protests about four times since May through its “Fighting Guidelines Against Mad Cow Disease” sent to civic organizations.

A police official said, “They incited people saying such things as ‘Let’s Advance toward Cheong Wa Dae’ and sent fighting guidelines to other civic organizations participating in violent protests. This is clear evidence showing they served as the ‘control tower’ of the illegal demonstrations.”

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has also investigated the two groups’ financial sources. On this, the groups say, “The police are making us scapegoats after their own failure to find out the real entity behind the violence. The police announcement is nothing but a deliberate scheme to interfere in the massive candlelight vigil planned for Saturday.”

Meanwhile, police Friday raided the office of the People’s Association for 2MB Impeachment in downtown Seoul, confiscating documents and other protest materials.

dawn@donga.com