Beef protests in Korea: street democracy, candlight vigils, storming barricade

The US beef protests in South Korea is reaching fever pitch. 

Participants and observers are comparing the protests, marches and vigils to the solidarity movements in Europe and to the Korean democracy movement in the 1980's.

One focal point of the rising 'street democracy' movement is the wide stretch of freight container barricade blocking the main Gwanghwamun road leading to the presidential Blue House and government buildings.

Anti-US beef protesters numbering in the tens of thousands gathered in front of the barricade aka "Myung-bak Fort" (named after President Lee Myung-bak).  They gathered to debate whether to take down the barricade or to continue peaceful protests.  Speakers spoke for 7 hours from late Wednesday night to early Thursday morning.

Speakers ranged from movement leaders to any participant who wanted to have their say.  OhmyNews reported on the marathon-debate:

Trans. "Some spoke reasonably and thoughtfully, others broke down in tears.  The thousands protesters cheered and booed throughout."

Trans. "These debates didn't just take place in front of the barricades, they happened all over.  While President Lee Myung-bak slept across from one side of the barricade, on the other side of the barricade, the Gwanghwamun-intersection turned into the Acropolis square and citizens took centre state there, staying up all night debating with one another."

As speakers and demonstrators debated throughout the night, people started to carry in giant styrofoam blocks into the intersection.  The styrofoam blocks were stacked-up one-by-one to create another barricade in front of the "Myung-back Fort."  People argued that the Citizens' fort should top Myung-bak's Fort.

At the end, Myung-bak's Fort was not taken down. 

Trans.  "Citizens complained of the lack of communication with the President.  One citizen in the early hours of the morning spoke out:  "We shouldn't storm the police barricades.  Let's debate the issues on the Daum-Agora website with one another and then decide.  And let's follow what the majority decides."  The audience clapped and cheered in agreement.

"Looking back, there has been continual protests over the past month.  The candlelight vigils have turned into street demonstrations.  Calls for abandoning unfair negotiations have turned into calls for the President Lee's withdrawal and resignation.  It is clear that these demonstrations have entered a new phase."

Find previous NowPublic coverage here.