South Korea’s public prosecution ended their attempt to arrest former president Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday after being impeded by the Presidential Security Service, according to national media outlet Yonhap, with the ex-president’s security service announcing that it would not allow the arrest to proceed.

Newspaper Hankook Ilbo reported that prosecutors plan to pursue abuse of power charges for members of Yoon’s security team if they prevent the arrest. Yoon appointed the current head of the security service, Park Jong-joon, to his post in September.

Yonhap previously reported that officials from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials were supposedly being prevented from taking custody of Yoon by a military unit tasked with protecting the ex-president’s Seoul residence, the South Korean Army Defence Command’s 55th Security Brigade.

Yoon’s legal representatives panned the arrest attempt, calling it “illegal” and warning that prosecutors risk breaking South Korean law against illegal arrests.

While the attempt is being carried out, video from local media shows crowds flying South Korean and American flags. One demonstrator held high a sign saying “STOP THE STEAL,” echoing a slogan from US President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign to undermine the results of the 2020 US presidential election.

Meanwhile, prosecutors indicted South Korea’s former Army Chief of Staff over his role in the martial law declaration, according to Yonhap.

Yoon was impeached in December over an unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law in the country, which lasted only six hours before being reversed by South Korea’s National Assembly. A judge issued an arrest warrant for Yoon two weeks later on insurrection and abuse of power charges.

The ex-president claimed in his martial law announcement that the country’s political opposition, which controls the National Assembly, is sympathetic to North Korea and that martial law was necessary to “rebuild” the country.