Police break up disabled protest

The Korea Herald, Oct. 12, 2005

Police　break　up　disabled　protest

By　Tracey　Stark　
and　Kwon　Ji-young

Activists　demanding　proper　education　for　the　disabled　chained　themselves　to　the　gate　of　the　Seoul　government　complex　and　painted　slogans　on　the　sidewalk　yesterday　in　a　protest　that　resulted　in　police　detaining　43　people.

The　demonstration　began　at　11　a.m.　when　about　six　people　in　wheelchairs,　out　of　a　group　of　50　protesters,　were　chained　to　the　front　gate　of　the　Gwanghwamun　complex　by　able-bodied　compatriots　to　protest　low　government　funding　for　disabled　education.

"We　decided　to　stage　a　surprise　protest　which　went　to　extremes　because　we　didn't　receive　any　response　from　the　government　during　a　long　protest　in　front　of　the　Blue　House,"　said　Kim　Ki-ryong,　representative　of　the　coalition　for　the　educational　rights　of　disabled　people.

A　sign　complaining　about　a　lack　of　funding　was　spread　across　the　ground　in　front　of　the　protesters　while　four　members　of　the　group　spray-painted　slogans　in　red　and　black　on　the　sidewalk.　The　main　English-language　sign　next　to　the　gate　was　also　defaced　with　red　paint　to　resemble　dripping　blood.

In　the　early　minutes　of　the　protest,　several　officers　attempted　to　stop　the　spray　painters　but　were　met　with　shoves　and　shouts.　The　outnumbered　police　and　complex　security　guards　backed　off　and　waited　for　more　police　to　arrive.

"Over　300　police　came　and　dragged　43　of　us　to　10　different　police　stations.　There　was　a　struggle　between　the　police　and　protesters　as　they　were　forcibly　dragged　away,"　said　Kim.　As　of　press　time　the　detainees　remained　in　police　custody.

Of　the　protesters,　10　were　disabled　students,　15　were　their　parents,　and　25　were　university　students　of　special　education.　

The　group　wants　an　increased　budget　for　disabled　education,　more　special　education　teachers　and　education　laws　for　disabled　students.　

"This　year,　the　government　cut　back　the　budget　for　special　education　by　8　billion　won,　and　reduced　the　number　of　teachers　from　444　to　36,　and　the　number　of　assistants　from　3,000　to　2,500,"　said　Do　Gyeong-man,　executive　director　of　the　coalition　for　disabled　education　rights.　

Yesterday's　protest　follows　a　two-week　demonstration　Sept.　22-Oct.　5　in　front　of　the　Blue　House　during　which　the　group　asked　to　meet　President　Roh　Moo-hyun.　"The　government　did　not　respond　at　all　to　our　requests,"　said　Kim.　Receiving　no　response　from　the　government,　the　group　decided　on　more　desperate　measures　to　draw　attention　to　their　case.

Within　15　minutes　of　the　start　of　the　Gwanghwamun　protest,　two　busloads　of　police　officers　arrived　and　parked　in　front　of　the　protesters,　effectively　blocking　the　view　of　passing　motorists.　Several　other　police　units　arrived　from　around　the　corner,　making　a　total　of　more　than　100.　The　helmeted　police,　many　armed　with　shields　and　meter-long　batons,　surrounded　the　disabled　protesters　and　began　pulling　them　from　the　gate.　Several　other　officers　with　bolt　cutters　were　sent　inside　the　complex　to　cut　the　chains　in　order　to　remove　the　wheelchairs.

One　severely　disabled　protester,　once　unchained,　accelerated　his　electric-powered　chair,　pulling　along　four　policemen　and　knocking　a　police　photographer　off　a　ladder.　When　he　was　subdued,　the　protester　was　removed　from　his　chair　and　ended　up　writhing　on　the　ground.　

Another　protester　escaped　the　confines　of　his　wheelchair　and　crawled　under　a　police　bus　while　a　man　with　a　loudspeaker　voiced　the　group's　complaints　to　a　growing　crowd　of　onlookers.

After　a　little　more　than　an　hour　most　of　the　protesters　were　removed,　although　the　spray-painted　slogans　were　still　visible.　There　was　no　immediate　word　from　the　government　about　the　budget　for　the　education　of　the　disabled. (traceystark@heraldm.com)　(jkwon@heraldm.com)