World
Myanmar Protest Myanmar: Thousands join protests in Yangon after military coup
Nay Pyi Taw/Sputnik, February 6: Several thousand people took to the streets in Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon on Saturday to participate in the first mass protest against the military rule since the recent coup, media reported.
Demonstrations broke out on Saturday morning after the Southeast Asian country went into its second nationwide internet shutdown since the military seized power and arrested civilian leaders on Monday.
According to photographs posted by the Mizzima news portal, police officers in bulletproof vests with riot shields blocked the main roads, while crowds marched flashing the three-finger salute, which has become a symbol of the fight for democracy and was used by Thai and Hong Kong protesters.
Demonstrators were also wearing red, the color of the National League for Democracy party, whose government was overthrown by the military.
The portal added that hundreds of people were detained during the protests, while the Frontier news website reported that the demonstrations were peaceful and police officers were inactive.
Myanmar's military overthrew the democratically elected government on Monday and declared a year-long state of emergency after accusing State Counsellor San Suu Kyi's party of fraud over its recent election victory.
