Children have no place at the protests

Children have no place at the protests

When joining a protest, most people have the sense to leave their cars at home or the office so that they don't have to worry about finding a safe place to park or having untoward incidents occurring to the expensive belonging.

The same should be true with children.

Since the anti-government protest started in November, video footage and photos have been distributed of children decked out in the protest group's symbolic tri-colours of the Thai flag, carrying whistles of different forms and shapes or participating in the protest's parades and other activities.

Looking back to the 2010 red-shirt rallies, images of children in red attire and accessories spring to mind as well.

It's obvious that some parents bring their children along as they join the protest at different venues. What is not clear, however, is why they believe it is a good idea.

Some may not want to leave their children behind as they go out to fulfil what they must have believed is citizens' duty to express their opinions. They may not have trusted hands to take care of the children while they are away.

If that is the case, they should not join a protest. Their duties as parents should come first.

A small child could easily get lost at a rally. This week, the internet was abuzz with news about a boy who went missing during the anti-government protest. Luckily, he was located after the boy had the wit to ask a stranger to use a phone to call his parents. The story could have ended up differently had there been malicious elements at play, which are not beyond possibility considering the rape and murder of Nong Cartoon last month.

Some people may believe it does not hurt to bring youngsters to witness first-hand what a demonstration is like, to prepare the young minds for all kinds of democratic responsibilities.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban recently also told parents not to worry about schools being closed because of the rally. He urged them to bring their children to demonstration sites because they are where real learning about the country is taking place.

The truth, however, is a protest scene, usually crowded, raucous and vulnerable to clashes with security authorities or people who oppose the gathering, is not the healthiest place for youngsters to be, whether physically, mentally or emotionally.

The noise level alone _ deafening almost all the time _ would be a physical setback for small children. Mentally, the impact could be much worse and longer lasting. A demonstration is born out of discontent. As such, it's by nature a venue for expressions of extreme hostility which often spills over into an ugly realm of hatred _ in the language used, in the attitude and mindset that are on full display.

Do parents want to instil a culture of violence and hatred into their children's minds? Psychiatrists have warned time and again that youngsters are prone to mimicking what they see or hear without fully understanding its meaning or context. A protest's provocative culture could lead to them developing unruly behaviour. Also, its rousing speeches and highly charged atmosphere could give rise to tension. Even adults could suffer from protest-related fatigue and stress. Children would be even more prone to these negative effects than grown-ups are.

The Department of Mental Health has repeatedly cautioned people against taking children to protest sites. Parents should heed this advice, not that of the protest leader who only wants more people to join his demonstration, no matter what age.

The worries about children at protest sites do not stop at the exposure of verbal violence from protest speeches or the risk of children getting lost in the crowd. A man was killed and 35 people were injured in a grenade attack on Mr Suthep's march on Banthat Thong Road on Friday. This should serve as a grim reminder not to only parents but all protesters how the seemingly jolly rally can turn bloody in just a blink of an eye.

No one knows how the anti-government protest will end. No one knows who is behind the violence. But one thing is certain _ as much as the anti-government rally insists on its principle of peaceful demonstration, violence has now become part of the power game. These are tense times. Anyone who still wants to join the rally should take extreme precautions. And the children should be left at home.

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