Protesters start setting up camp at Democracy Monument
The first lot of protesters arrived at Bangkok’s Democracy Monument on Tuesday to prepare for the anti-government rally scheduled for Wednesday.
Members of Free Youth Roi-Et, led by prominent activist Jatuphat "Pai Dao Din" Boonpattararaksa, showed up at 9.30am and began putting up tents near a McDonald’s outlet, when they were approached by police who tried to stop them.
The protesters, however, continued unfazed and decided to recite a poem about people's power written by Visa Kantap, who had been arrested for participating in the October 14, 1973 uprising, which overthrew the dictatorship of Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn.
“No power is true in this world. Rulers come and go. Nobody deserves to be worshipped. People will remain forever,” the poem reads.
At 3.40pm, police began removing the tents and the protesters responded by spraying them with coloured water. When things began getting chaotic, police arrested nine activists, including Jatuphat, who had previously been arrested over charges of lese majeste and computer crime.
Police said they had tried to have the protesters move to the pavement, but they refused leading to the arrests.
The anti-establishment protesters are gathering to not just mark the anniversary of the 1973 uprising, but also to reiterate their demands, which include the dissolution of the House, rewriting of the junta-sponsored charter and calls for reform of the monarchy.
Supporters overseas have also started gathering at appointed locations.
