Supporters of South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol broke into a court building early Sunday after his detention was extended, injuring many police officers in the ensuing chaos.
Mr Yoon became the first sitting president of South Korea to be arrested on Wednesday, a month after he stunned the world by imposing martial law, which was swiftly revoked by a parliamentary vote.
Shortly after the decision to extend his detention was announced at 3am local time, angry supporters of Mr Yoon breached the court by breaking through police lines, shattering the entrance doors and windows of the building.
Videos showed the protesters blasting fire extinguishers at lines of police guarding the front entrance, then flooding inside and destroying office equipment, fittings and furniture.
They used plastic chairs, metal beams and police shields they had managed to wrestle away from officers. Many of them tried to reach the judge who had issued the warrant, but she had already left.
Police restored order a few hours later after arresting at least 46 protesters and vowing to track down the others involved.
“The government expresses strong regret over the illegal violence…which is unimaginable in a democratic society,” acting president Choi Sang Mok said in a statement, adding that authorities would step up safety measures around gatherings.
Nine police officers were injured in the chaos, state news agency Yonhap said.
Police were not immediately available for comment about the injured officers.
In all, an emergency responder near the Seoul Western District Court said, around 40 people suffered minor injuries in the chaos.
Mr Yoon’s ruling People Power Party called the court’s decision to extend his detention a “great pity”. “There’s a question whether repercussions of detaining a sitting president were sufficiently considered,” the party said in a statement.
The opposition Democratic Party said the decision was a “cornerstone” for rebuilding order and that “riots” by “far-right” groups would only deepen the national crisis.
Mr Yoon appeared for a five-hour hearing on Saturday and watched as the judge granted a new warrant extending his detention for up to 20 days due to “concern that the suspect may destroy evidence”.
South Korean law requires a suspect detained under a warrant to undergo a physical exam, have a mugshot taken and wear a jail uniform.
Mr Yoon is being held in a solitary cell at the Seoul Detention Centre.
The Corruption Investigation, which is probing Mr Yoon on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, said it had called him for further questioning on Sunday afternoon, but he again did not show up.
The agency said it would now summon the president for questioning on Monday.
Mr Yoon’s lawyers argued his arrest was illegal because the warrant was issued in the wrong jurisdiction and that the investigating team had no mandate.
Mr Yoon is facing a charge of insurrection, which is one of the few that a South Korean president does not have immunity from and is technically punishable by death. South Korea, however, has not executed anyone in nearly 30 years.
Mr Yoon, through his lawyers, described the violence at the court as “shocking and unfortunate” and called on people to express their opinions peacefully.
The president said “he wouldn’t give up and would correct the wrong, even if it took time”, the lawyers said in a statement.
Saying he understood many people were feeling “rage and unfairness”, Mr Yoon asked police to take a “tolerant position”.
Mr Yoon, 64, was suspended and stripped of his presidential powers last month after being impeached by the parliament.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court launched separate proceedings on Tuesday to decide if Mr Yoon’s impeachment was valid and if she should be permanently removed from office. He did not attend that hearing.
Additional reporting by agencies.
