It was another call to action on Friday that South Korean protest groups that have been facing security challenges for the past month have opposed President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law.
Many of those early protests had results: Mr. Yoon's martial law on December 3 was revoked, the National Assembly impeached him and opened an investigation into whether he had led the coup.
But in recent weeks, paralysis and isolation of the country has begun. And that's what the protesters found in the streets outside of the official residence of Mr. Yoon.
A crowd of supporters of Mr. Yoon we were already there. They rushed to his village after being interrupted by news on Friday morning about a move to detain him in connection with his declaration of martial law last month. Some of Yoon's supporters had already been there for days, camping on a street near his home in central Seoul, vowing to block any attempts to arrest him.
Law enforcement officials withdrew after hours of trying to outmaneuver Mr. Trump's supporters. Yoon also faced a large number of his security team. Their order to detain him for formal investigation was unsuccessful.
Thousands of anti-Yoon protesters rushed to face thousands of pro-Yoon supporters. For his fans, it was a moment of joy and defiance. For those who criticize him, one of bitter frustration.
“I am very angry,” said Lee Ye-seul, 19, a student at a university in Seoul, who was marching toward Mr. Yoon and the crowd of protesters want him arrested.
The protesters entered the part of the road near where Mr. Yoon and they plan to set up tents for the night. “Seize and arrest Yoon Suk Yeol immediately!” read the signs they posted. “Let's get rid of their allies, sympathizers and the revolutionary group!”
Kim Yoon-hyeong, 20, called the presence of Mr. Yoon is “an attempt by the hard right to protect its interests” and rejected what they said. He said Mr. Yoon will not be able to continue ruling.
“It does not make sense to leave a person who declared martial law against the country in office,” he said.
Kang Hye-sun, 57, joined the pro-Yoon protest on Friday afternoon after seeing early news about the arrest plan. He found out on YouTube that his fans were close to where he lived.
“Yoon Suk Yeol is fighting alone,” he cried. He also added that he believes there was voter fraud in last year's election, when his ruling party lost a majority in the National Assembly.
He was holding a poster that read, “Stop stealing,” a slogan popularized by former President Donald J. Trump to question the results of the 2020 presidential election in the United States, which he lost.
“What happened to Trump happened to Yoon Suk Yeol,” he said.
Nearby, pro-Yoon protest leaders are spreading similar allegations of a voter fraud conspiracy in the last election and saying the impeachment of Mr. Yoon by the National Assembly is not allowed.
Another pro-Yoon protester raised his stick at the marchers calling for Yoon's arrest, shouting, “What country are you from?” Other anti-Yoon marchers called on the police to arrest a pro-Yoon protester whom they accused of spitting on the crowd at a pedestrian crossing facing the street.
But police in yellow neon jackets surrounded both groups of protesters. There was tension, voices were raised, people were running around, but there was no violence.
As night fell, the protest leaders who called for the ousted president to be arrested urged the protesters to sit down as they started camping on the road outside Yoon's house.
Thousands of protesters continued to chant, “Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol!” while sitting on the cold tarmac. Temperatures in Seoul, which were above freezing on Friday, were expected to drop to 17 degrees Fahrenheit overnight.
Mrs. Lee, who planned to stay overnight, said he was wearing a thick winter coat and brought an extra vest in his backpack.
“I will speak until he is released and those involved in the rebellion are punished,” he said.
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