Rubber bullets, tear gas fired as rally turns violent
published : 1 Mar 2021 at 09:24
writer: Gary Boyle
A clash between police and pro-democracy protesters turned ugly on Sunday, with several injuries and arrests following a protest.
About 1,500 young protesters under the REDEM (Restart Democracy) banner met at Victory Monument at 3pm before marching to the 1st Infantry Regiment barracks, King's Guard, on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.
REDEM is the latest reincarnation of the Free Youth group that had rallied against the government and campaigned for monarchy reform.
Over 2,000 riot police were deployed, and barricades were set up to block protesters from the nearby prime minister's residence.
At about 6.30pm the protesters clashed with the police.
Police used tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, who continued to throw objects at the officers.
Police officers shot rubber bullets at the protesters during the clash.
As of press time, the police had not said why they used rubber bullets on protesters, although sources said an official briefing can be expected today.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) deputy commissioner said police did not fire tear gas or water cannons at the protesters.
The deputy MPB chief added that the protests have become more violent with some of the protesters carrying weapons and vandalising government properties, referring to the rallies in front of Parliament House and Kiak Kai Junction.
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Vocabulary
- barricade: a temporary structure built to prevent someone/something from getting past - แผงหรือแนวรั้วกั้น
- briefing: a meeting in which people receive information or instruction - การสรุปแบบสั้นๆ
- bullet: a small, metal object that is shot from a gun - กระสุนปืน
- clash: to fight - ปะทะ
- commissioner: the head of a particular police force in some countries - ผู้ตรวจการณ์
- deploy: (of police or soldiers) to put in place ready for action - ส่ง (ทหาร, ตำรวจ) ประจำการ.
- protester: someone who shows that they disagree with something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs, etc - ผู้ต่อต้าน, ผู้ประท้วง
- reincarnation: rebirth; the same thing but in a new form - การเกิดใหม่ การฟื้นคืนชีพ
- riot police: police who are trained to deal with violent groups of people - ตำรวจปราบจราจล
- rubber (noun): a bouncy, elastic material used in car tires and waterproof gloves - กล้ายาง
- tear gas: a gas used by some police and armed forces to control crowds of people. It hurts the eyes and makes them produce tears - ก๊าซน้ำตา
- vandalism: the crime of intentionally damaging property belonging to other people - การทำลายทรัพย์สินโดยเฉพาะของรัฐอย่างไร้เหตุผล
- violent: involving or caused by physical force that is intended to hurt or kill somebody - รุนแรง, ร้ายแรง, สาหัส
- water cannon: a machine that produces a powerful flow of water, used by the police to control crowds of people -
