Red-shirt Protesters Rally Outside Bangkok Prison
- 14 years ago
More than 500 red-shirt protesters gathered outside Bangkok's Klong Prem prison on Friday… demanding the government free all detained protesters who were locked up during the unrest in Bangkok last spring.
Red shirt supporters laid red roses at the Klong Prem prison amid tight security.
[La-or Jatiyaku, Protester]: (Thai, gender Female)
"We can't rely on anyone to help us. We have to do something like this -- just call our group to gather and to use our rights. We don't do anything against the law. We just come here to lay flowers. We gather to use our own rights."
About 200 security guards and police were deployed to Bangkok following the declaration of a state of emergency in April.
Most of the red-shirt’s main leaders have been detained since May 19 on terrorism charges.
[Jatuporn Prompan, Protest Leader]: (Thai, male)
"It's a peaceful gathering today, and we will leave peacefully as well but we will come back next week. We don't know the exact date yet. We will continue coming here until our friends in every prison are freed. Murderers should be detained, not protesters."
More than 250 people are detained in 17 prisons nationwide on charges related to the protests, after troops forced the protesters to leave Bangkok's shopping district.
About 90 people were killed and nearly 2,000 wounded during two months of protests.
Red shirt supporters laid red roses at the Klong Prem prison amid tight security.
[La-or Jatiyaku, Protester]: (Thai, gender Female)
"We can't rely on anyone to help us. We have to do something like this -- just call our group to gather and to use our rights. We don't do anything against the law. We just come here to lay flowers. We gather to use our own rights."
About 200 security guards and police were deployed to Bangkok following the declaration of a state of emergency in April.
Most of the red-shirt’s main leaders have been detained since May 19 on terrorism charges.
[Jatuporn Prompan, Protest Leader]: (Thai, male)
"It's a peaceful gathering today, and we will leave peacefully as well but we will come back next week. We don't know the exact date yet. We will continue coming here until our friends in every prison are freed. Murderers should be detained, not protesters."
More than 250 people are detained in 17 prisons nationwide on charges related to the protests, after troops forced the protesters to leave Bangkok's shopping district.
About 90 people were killed and nearly 2,000 wounded during two months of protests.