Aggressive police presence halts Sewol ferry demonstrations

This past weekend marked the one year anniversary of the tragic Sewol ferry incident and to commemorate, many took to the streets to hold vigil for those who passed.

However, these marches have taken a sudden violent turn as it has been reported that 12,800 riot officers were dispatched to the streets.

Despite the shattering effect the Sewol tragedy had on the citizens and families, a thorough outside investigation has yet to be conducted. In response to these recent protests, police forces have used water cannons and even pepper spray against the people. The atmosphere was surely tense as police even arrested civilians in the march.

On Saturday, police forces used buses to maintain a tight barricade to keep the demonstrators separate from the tourists and other citizens.

Take a look at a video clip from the tense conflicts here:

Source: NPR