Protestor Moms Carrying Babies: Courageous or Reckless?

There is a growing controversy surrounding a woman in her thirties who participated in the rally against the import of U.S. beef and frustrated the use of water canon by police as she stood in front of the police vehicle with her child in a baby buggy. Many on the Internet are posting criticisms for “using the little child as a protesting means,” while some also argue that she “risked a great deal for the other citizens.”

At around 1:40 p.m. June 26, police stationed two water canon vehicles in front of Saemoonan Church, downtown Seoul. It was to dismiss the protestors overcrowding the road.

As the police prepared for a second spurt after spouting water for 10 minutes, a housewife suddenly approached the water canon vehicles pushing forth a baby buggy with her child in it.

The police requested the mother to move aside to the footpath, but she stayed right there saying, “I’ll only move aside after the water canon vehicles move away.”

The protesters began to give her a hand. When the combat policemen came toward her, they immediately surrounded the baby buggy blocking access. Police persuaded the mother without using force so as not to provoke the protesters, but she did not yield. Police withdrew the water canon vehicles from the site after a 30-minute-long fuss.

About 40 protesters with baby buggies who took part in the rally on June 25 and were near the Sejong intersection were also faced with a dangerous situation as the rally turned violent.

When the police forced the protesters toward Taepyeong Street, about 100 of them were driven to the rear where baby-buggy members were sitting with their children. Fortunately the protesters and policemen caught sight of them and refrained from physical collision, preventing any casualty.

When such news spread on the Web, many articles were posted criticizing that it is problematic to use wordless children as a protesting means.

ID “kaida51” who posted an article on Naver yesterday said, “A child is not the mother’s possession. Did she think of the fear the child had to go through sitting in the baby buggy at that time?”

In reply, ID “genech” said, “Using the child like a hostage is something beyond the line. I’m a mother myself but I cannot understand her.”

Some posted articles saying, “To take children to the dangerous rally venues -- it makes me wonder she is the genuine mother of the child.”

Meanwhile the members of 82COOK, an Internet site for housewives, and Baby Buggy Squad (yumochabudae), an online community in Daum, are posting articles supporting the behavior of the woman.

ID “waniranghoyamom” said, “I’m in tears. I’m touched by the desperateness of the mother who stood in front of the water canon cars with her dear child.”

ID “nunsaram” argued, “If mothers stand on the frontline in the weekend, the shield line (of the police) will be replaced by policewomen.”