“Why isn’t everyone here? Come on, come on, everyone!” says a protester who can be heard in this video, still available on YouTube
Upon the announcement around 3:00 a.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT Saturday) of its decision to keep Mr. Yoon in detention for 20 days, the Western District Court of the capital triggered the anger of tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of its doors on Saturday.
AFP journalists then saw hundreds of police officers rush into the court to dislodge furious pro-Yoon people, the police reporting dozens of arrests during this “intolerable, illegal and violent incident”.
The police then announced an investigation into the involvement of YouTubers affiliated with the far right in the storming of the court, but the demonstrators did not seem at all fazed.
The president’s detention “signifies the fall of the rule of law in South Korea,” says Cho Min-shik, a 32-year-old construction worker. The protester proudly shows his injured wrist after breaking a window and entering the court with other protesters.
From his detention center, the suspended president regularly sends letters of thanks and encouragement to his unconditional supporters who also include evangelical priests. His legal team insists at the same time that his arrest is illegal.
In front of the court, the epicenter of the anger, the police decided to deploy 1,400 officers to contain the demonstrations, which, according to experts, are “unprecedented” in South Korea.
Mr. Yoon’s legal team in a statement blamed the court and the police for these incidents.
The court’s decision to extend the president’s detention period means that “enraged citizens continue protests, and unfortunate violent incidents result.”
-“Accusations are increasing that the police, who were lenient towards illegal union demonstrations, are now violently provoking and repressing peaceful demonstrations by citizens,” insists the suspended president’s legal team.
Conspiracy theories
Yoon Suk Yeol was arrested on January 15 after an assault by the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) and police officers on his official residence, a first in South Korea for a sitting head of state. But the president, under several investigations, including one for “rebellion” and accused of having shaken democracy by declaring martial law by surprise, refuses to back down.
The one who technically remains at the head of state, although suspended pending the Court’s decision, promised to “fight to the end”.
Many of Yoon’s supporters interviewed by AFP repeated conspiracy theories, including claiming that South Korea’s parliamentary elections last year, won by the opposition, were rigged, a thesis defended by Mr. Yoon.
“Stop the steal”
Mr Yoon’s supporters frequently wave American flags and embrace the “Stop the steal” rhetoric associated with US President-elect Donald Trump, whose supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington to try to overturn his 2020 election defeat .
This rhetoric reflects disinformation about election fraud, which has long circulated among far-right conspiracy theorists in South Korea.
Driven by nationalist and fiercely anti-communist sentiment, their vitriolic charges target liberal politicians, whom they accuse of being North Korean agents plotting with Pyongyang to destabilize South Korean democracy.
“Yoon must return to power to get rid of all the communists in the country,” says Ms Lim, who has 5,000 followers on her YouTube channel and describes herself as an evangelical Christian.
