Around 11:30 a.m. on May 13, Yongsan Police Station in Seoul, the ‘Republic of Korea’ (ROK, South Korea) forcibly dispersed and violently removed members of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) who were holding a press conference in front of the Kenyan Embassy in Seoul. The press conference, titled “Immediately Release the World Anti-Imperialist Platform Delegation! Down with the Fascist Ruto Regime!”, was held to protest recent repression in Kenya.
On May 12, delegates of the World Anti-Imperialist Platform, including Lee Sanghun, former president of the People’s Democracy Party; Joti Brar, chair of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist); and Dimitrios Patelis, founding member of the Revolutionary Theory Group of Greece, were illegally arrested by Kenyan military and police forces. Kenyan authorities used tear gas during the crackdown while the delegation was participating in a peaceful march opposing the “Africa-France Summit” held in Nairobi.
In response, the following day the PDP, the Platform, and 21st-Century Che Guevara held a lawful political rally and press conference outside the Kenyan Embassy in Seoul to condemn the Kenyan authorities and demand the release of those detained. However, Seoul police forcibly dispersed the press conference and violently removed party members, citing complaints lodged by the Kenyan Embassy with ‘ROK’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The PDP strongly condemned the actions, stating that “instead of protesting to the Kenyan authorities over the illegal detention of our citizens, ‘ROK’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs is illegally suppressing a lawful political rally and press conference in front of the Kenyan Embassy.”
[Live Streaming Link of the Press Conference]
