[8.27/28] 4차 희망버스

The 4th "Hope Bus" Campaign...

...led last weekend about 5000 activists (the organizers expected 10,000) to the S. Korean capital Seoul, and not like in the past to Busan. But the main topic was still the same: supporting the struggle of dismissed Hanjin workers and Kim Jin-suks sit-in strike on the crane No. 85.

Saturday's main protest event in downtown Seoul was opened in the afternoon by a rally of "irregular" workers, but unfortunately only about 100 activists, mainly elderly workers and some activists who are right now fighting in Myeong-dong against their forced eviction attended it.

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Later on the main "Hope Bus" protest rally - attended by about 5000 KCTU members, civil right and political activists etc. - ended at 10 pm. During the rally, Japanese comrades delivered their solidarity message to the audience and Kim Jin-suk held a powerful speech by telephone, urging all S. Korean to fight until a just solution for all workers and people in resistance to exploitation and oppression is achieved.

After the rally a protest march to the presidential palace (Blue House) was planned, but the entire area, resp. its exits were blocked thousands of riot cops and nobody was able to leave (or enter) the place.

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But finally the masses were able to escape (actually after a very short time/"guerilla" style^^), but hunted by the cops. During the next 30 minutes they were also able to avoid twice blockades by the riot cops and ultimately escaped complete and created in almost the entire downtown area traffic chaos...

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