Thousands of anti-government protesters rally in Bangkok
January 24th, 2011 - 12:33 am ICT by BNO NewsBANGKOK (BNO NEWS) — Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied in Bangkok on Sunday, demanding the government to release their key leaders who were jailed in last year’s crackdown, MCOT online news reported.
Demonstrators of Thailand’s United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the “Red Shirts,” gathered at Ratchaprasong Road, a popular shopping district in central Bangkok where a violent government crackdown took place on May 19, 2010.
Police were deployed to provide security and maintain order.
During the protest, demonstrators lit red candles in commemoration of the Red Shirt protesters killed during the street violence in April and May during the mass protest.
Red leader and Opposition MP Jatuporn Prompan said the Red Shirts will gather again on February 13 to continue demanding the release of jailed Red Shirts on terrorism charges and the reinstatement of the 1997 Constitution.
The UDD held a 69-day demonstration last year in an effort to topple the government of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Protesters clashed with police, leaving 92 dead, including 11 soldiers and police and two foreign journalists.
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Tags: abhisit vejjajiva, bno, central bangkok, commemoration, demonstration, demonstrators, dictatorship, government crackdown, journalists, mass protest, opposition mp, protesters, rally, red candles, reinstatement, shopping district, street violence, terrorism charges, thai prime minister, united front