Clip of Canadian policeman defending Korean Sewol protesters gains attention
In the 37-second clip around the 0:08 mark, a Canadian policeman can be seen speaking to a suited man amidst a crowd of protestors. The suited man is one ofPresident Park Geun Hye's bodyguards. As the South Korean president recently visited Canada this past weekend to discuss theKorea-Canada Free Trade Agreement(FTA), this clip appears to be taken around the same time she was visiting the CanadianPrime Minister Stephen Harper.
Outside the prime minister's residence, the bodyguards attempt to interfere with the gathering protesters, yet the Canadian policeman says, "You can't be touching them, okay? You can't be touching them. Don't touch them," implying that the protesters have a right to be there while the bodyguard has no right to stop them.
The description explains the situation further, saying, "Canadian Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) tells the bodyguards, who are obstructing the protestors' way, not to touch them; protesters show Hong Sung Dam's 'Sewol Owol' in front of [where Park Geun Hye is staying]."
Pic: A part of the 'Sewol Owol' painting. You can see the full paintinghere.
'Sewol Owol'is a painting byHong Sung Damthat depicts President Park Geun Hye as a puppet being controlled by her late father,Park Chung Hee, a dictator who ruled Korea for two decades. The painting is titled 'Sewol Owol' because it blames political figures like President Park for the Sewol tragedy. Hong Sung Dam, as well as many others, have also criticized President Park for her lax response to the Sewol ferry incident and for dodging demands for an independent investigation into the event. By holding up 'Sewol Owol' images, protesters were calling President Park to pay attention to how she was being painted and viewed by the Korean public.
Netizens' top comments include: "The protesters are either permanent residents or they have Canadian citizenship; seeing the Canadian policeman protecting his fellow countrymen is touching. He's being fair; in our unfair nation, I feel like immigrating [to Canada],"and, "If this were our country's policemen, they would spray [the protesters] with water and tear gas, but of course an advanced country's policemen are different. I've been reawakened to the right to protest in the spirit of a free, democratic country. I envy them~ A country that has freedom of the press and freedom to protest. But isn't it a problem that our country picked that dictator as our president?"
Here's anOhmynewsTVreport on the incident as well as the'Countrymen for Sewol's Special Law Enactment'demonstration parade held in New York.