Police in the South Korean capital city of Seoul attacked thousands of protesters on Saturday with water cannons and tear gas in an effort to break up protests. South Korean citizens have taken to the streets to demand the resignation of current South Korean president, Park Guen-hye.

Thousands of people flooded into city hall plaza wearing protective gear and raincoats in anticipation of the police’s actions, reports The New York Times. They are all demanding significant changes to the standing government, especially the stepping down of President Park. Another of the major grievances is the governments unilateral decision to replace the variety of history books currently being used in South Korean schools with a single government-issued history book. Another major problem in the country is the problem of massive layoffs.

The police blocked entrance to the presidential compound as best as they could using over 700 buses to block roads and streets to try and discourage thousands of protesters. Buses were also covered completely with cooking oil in an attempt to keep the protesters from climbing over them, storming the police, and reaching the presidential compound.

Protesters were not discouraged as many of them began using ropes attached to the buses, with dozens of the protesters trying to drag the buses out of the way. That was when the police began to open fire on them with their water cannons. Protesters began to mount the buses anyway, armed with sticks and steel pipes to attack the police who stood on top of the buses with their riot gear and shields.

The police put liquid tear gas in the water from the cannons along with blue paint. The police figured it would be easier to identify and arrest the blue streaked protesters later. There are many injured and wounded on both sides but the numbers are not known as the battle has yet to subside.

The protesters don’t want the new history book because it shows Park’s father, who once took control of the country in a coup, in a favorable light. The president’s father had collaborated with the Japanese and ran a ruthless dictatorship until he was murdered in 1979. Most of the workers in the country are with organized labor and the new anti-union legislation being pushed by President Park will abolish many of the rights secured by the workers in the country, the protesters say. Also, they believe the new laws will only benefit the wealthy families in the country.