Greatest mass arrests
- Who
- 1988 Olympics
- What
- 15617 people
- Where
- Korea (Republic of) (Seoul,)
- When
- 11 July 1988
The greatest mass arrest reported in a democratic country was that of 15,617 demonstrators rounded up on 11 July 1988, by South Korean police to ensure security in advance of the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.
The largest in the UK occurred on September 17, 1961, when 1,314 demonstrators supporting unilateral nuclear disarmament were arrested for obstructing highways leading to Parliament Square, London by sitting down. As a consequence of the 1926 General Strike there were 3,149 prosecutions, for incitement (1760) and violence (1389).