Treating bereaved families of the ferry Sewol disaster and citizens who staged all-night actions on May 1 and 2 as criminals, the police fired water guns to spray tear liquid, the editorial charged.

On May 1 the police totally blocked the city streets with buses and fired water guns to spray tear liquid, it noted, and continued:

When bereaved families attempted to march to Chongwadae at dawn of the next day, the police sprayed tear liquid at them and beat them with shields.

The editorial demanded a thoroughgoing investigation into the police's human rights abuses and punishment of those involved.