The police arrested a 12-year-old last night for allegedly violating curfew by riding a bicycle to check out a protest, a group of lawyers and activists said this morning.
During last night’s anti-government protest at Din Daeng junction, the 12-year-old became the youngest person to be charged with violating curfew – a pandemic measure commonly used against protesters, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.
The unidentified minor was one of at least 11 people arrested and taken to the Phahon Yothin Police Station. Others include two independent journalists – Natthapong Malee from Ratsadon News and an unidentified woman from the Free Our Friends social media page. A volunteer medic was also arrested, according to the group. All three were also detained for violating curfew, currently in effect 9pm to 4am.
Pro-democracy rallies in recent weeks have been held almost daily at Din Daeng by a group called Thalu Gas, which means “a protest that goes through tear gas,” a reference to now common tactics and police brutality used against the gatherings. Police-instigated violence has been on the rise, from a cop car hitting a protester at high speed to blinding a protest organizer with a tear gas canister that destroyed one of his eyes.
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