Three men arrested for unauthorized demonstration near Aso's house
TOKYO —
The Public Safety Bureau of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on Sunday arrested three men in their 30s for staging an unreported demonstration, which violates Tokyo’s public safety ordinance law, and interfering with policemen in the execution of their duty at the time of their arrest. The three called for the demonstration on the Internet and tried to march to Prime Minister Taro Aso’s house in Shibuya. About 40 people gathered for the demonstration.
According to police, the three men conducted the demonstration without reporting it to a local police station and assaulted police officers who were monitoring them on the street after they gathered in front of JR Shibuya Station at 4 p.m. The group of demonstrators raised flags and made speeches with loudspeakers during the march after police ordered them to stop the demonstration.
The organizers of the demonstration, a labor union, said advanced notification to police is not necessary and that the arrest was illegal. They said Aso’s house in Shibuya is worth 6.2 billion yen and they tried to “have a look at what it is like.” Some members of the group also gathered outside Shibuya Police station, shouting, “Police support only the rich!”
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18 Comments
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CavemanLawyer
If they had only asked permission it would have been quickly granted.
Yeahright! --Cirroc
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ptolemy
Good for them. Time for the people to start piping up. Don't get fooled again.
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timorborder
A labor union? Wonder if these guys would have been arrested if they were right wingers? Perhaps invited in for tea instead?
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hotaruzoku
I happened to be passing Shibuya police station and took some pictures of the demonstration that ensued later with the demonstrators claiming the men were unlawfully arrested. you can see them here:- http://tinyurl.com/shibuyaprotest
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williamsmith
Aso was not elected PM by the Japanese people. Fukuda wasn't either. 2 PMs and no election, doesn't sound very legitimate to me.
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jerseyboy
An "unreported demonstration"? Why do you have to report a demonstration to the police? Aren't they smart enough to discover it for themselves? Or are they so incompetent that they could miss guys with flags and loud speakers?
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BBLeo
The three men should register for their actions and obtained permission. How will the world look like if we act as animals on the streets. 'Union or no Union obey law of the land.' 'RESPECT FOR THE COUNTRY PLEASE, DON'T JUST THINK ONLY ABOUT YOURSELF.'
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gogogo
I love how in Japan you need a permit for a demonstration
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badge123
In many other countries including democratic nations you need permits if you wish to hold demonstrations at certain locations.
I know thats a whole can of worms about something being democratic or not, I'm just looking at this from a public safety standpoint of view.
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Ultradude
williamsmith - Newsflash, PMs are never elected by the people by direct vote!
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BlackFlag
they should have just hired a big black bus and made their demonstration over a 100 decibel loudspeaker
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Youdontknow
A demonstration doesn't need permission unless of course you want to deprive people of their last few remaining rights to speak freely!
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Kimigano2
Hopefully the government makes an example by giving them the maximum allowable sentence. Protesting Aso is a pro-China move, and we don't need that here.
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ca1ic0cat
Sounds like something from Beijing during the olympics. I wonder if the right wing black vans always get permission to pull up outside Hon-Atsugi station. Talk about a loudmouthed disruption!
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neverknow2
No Japanese read this rubbish so dont bother making a serious comment.
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CavemanLawyer
This prompted a facepalm. Yeah, we all got subjected to the brainwashing program called "school" where they tell us our country is free, free, free, but never get into the details of such things as needing a permit for a demonstration.
Just because they never told you needed one does not mean you don't. Go ask at city hall. Go ask how free you are. I dare you. I double dare you! --Cirroc
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borscht
Actually, in some democratic countries you don't need a permit to demonstrate, you need a parade permit - if your demonstration is going to be in the streets or the crowd overflows onto the street. Police need to be ready to 'serve and protect' and I've seen them protect both extreme left and extreme right demonstrations - when they had the proper parade permit.
The right-wing vans drive around without setting foot on the streets. Hence, no parade permit. There should be a volume permit though; I seriously doubt the police would allow me to blast Morning Musume through a billion-watt sound system. Well, maybe some police wouldn't mind.
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Freakenese
KnuckleHeads
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