A conservative organization held a surprise demonstration near the “Girl of Peace” statue in front of the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul demanding the statue be removed and clashed with an anti-Japanese group for nearly four hours.

According to the conservative New Freedom Solidarity, the group held a rally demanding the Statue of Peace be removed and the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance (for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan) be disbanded near the statue at around 10 p.m. September 11. In the process, they ended up in a tussle with Action Against Japan, which guarded the statue.

The fight between the two organizations continued until 2:10a.m. September 12. As Kim Sang-jin, head of New Freedom Solidarity tried to approach the Statue of Peace and Action Against Japan tried to stop him, one rally participant fainted and was transferred to the hospital.

The police installed a police line between the two groups to prevent a physical clash. But the two groups continued in confrontation by raising the volume of the speakers used in the demonstration. As the confrontation continued, YouTubers who heard news of the clash gathered at the scene. The noise forced people staying in nearby hotels out onto the streets complaining of the inconvenience.

Action Against Japan argued that the members of New Freedom Solidarity tried to damage the statue. A representative of New Freedom Solidarity said, “We were about to start our demonstration as the group that first reported the rally when the group that reported their rally later (Action Against Japan) left the scene, but the police stalled for time and didn’t respond to our request to protect the demonstration,” and argued that the police neglected their duties.

The Jongno Police Station in Seoul believe both organizations violated the Assembly and Demonstration Act and are collecting evidence at the demonstration site. The police plan to call representatives of both organizations in for questioning.