Thai protesters defy government emergency decree banning large gatherings, demanding police ‘release our friends’

The protester tied a white bow on the policeman, saying: “One day we’ll stand shoulder to shoulder when things are higher in Thailand.”

The three-month protests within the country of 70 million people have been largely peaceful, as was Wednesday’s march of tens of hundreds of individuals.

The crackdown got here a day after protesters challenged the royal motorcade by displaying a three-finger salute adopted from The hunger Games books and movies – in an unprecedented act of defiance against the monarchy.

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“Getting briefing [of protesters] was very reasonable as the protesters were clearly harassing the Queen,” royalist politician Warong Dechgitvigrom commented on Facebook.

Overnight, the federal government banned political gatherings of 5 or more people and the posting of reports and knowledge on the Internet that would threaten national security.

“These measures were obligatory to make sure peace and order and forestall further incidents after protesters stormed the royal convoy and violated the monarchy with provocative language,” government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said in a press release.

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Thai supporters of democracy and monarchy clashed at a rally in Bangkok

Thai supporters of democracy and monarchy clashed at a rally in Bangkok

Other reasons for the emergency measures were the damage to the economy attributable to the protests and the danger of spreading the coronavirus, of which just one locally transmitted case has been reported in greater than 4 months.

“The current situation is tantamount to a coup,” said Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, one among the few protest leaders still at large.

Leading opposition activist Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit condemned the crackdown and called on the federal government to “release all arrested people.”

“The government must quickly discover a solution to reply to protesters’ demands, otherwise the situation will spread across the country,” he said.

Campaign group Amnesty International said the measures were unjustified and fear-mongering.

“This vague, drastic order will lead to more people being wrongly arrested, detained and prosecuted,” Amnesty International’s Ming Yu Hah said in a press release.

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Photos that were later posted on social media showed student leader Panusaya “Rung” Sithijirawattanakul being taken away in a wheelchair as she flashed a three-finger salute.

“We have not yet managed to restore real democracy,” said Sun Pathong, 54, a veteran of protests and counter-protests against the establishment for a decade before the 2014 coup. “I’ll come back. We must proceed to fight, even when we risk our lives.”

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Thai police arrest 21 people during a pro-democracy rally chanting royal motorcade

Thai police arrest 21 people during a pro-democracy rally chanting royal motorcade

Marchers within the streets also need a recent structure and are calling for limits on the king’s power. They want his role to be clearly subordinated to the structure and are demanding a reversal of orders that gave him control over palace property and a few military units.

Such overt challenges to the monarchy are unheard of in Thailand, where the royal family’s influence permeates every aspect of society.

The king spends most of his time in Europe, but has recently been in Thailand for an annual Buddhist ceremony and the anniversary of his father’s death. Extremely wealthy, he’s supported by a robust army – which has long positioned itself as a defender of the monarchy – in addition to the establishment elite.

Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse