Yangon protest supports student marchers in standoff with police

A supporter of student marchers facing off with police in Letpadan whips up the crowd at Yangon solidarity protest today. PHOTO/HONG SAR

While student protesters attempting to march south to Yangon were stuck for a third day in Letpadan due to a police road block, dozens of supporters came downtown to Sule Pagoda this afternoon to express solidarity with the beleaguered activists.

Waving signs that said “No violence to the students” and “The guns are in the government’s hands,” the protesters walked around the Sule Pagoda and stopped in front of City Hall.
 

Supporters walk around Sule Pagoda in downtown Yangon. PHOTO/HONG SAR

City officials, however, were prepared after a small contingent of supporters had demonstrated in the same area on Tuesday. At least six trucks of police officers were stationed at City Hall.
 

Police wait in the back of a truck outside Yangon City Hall. PHOTO/HONG SAR

However, the authorities took no action and the protest dispersed peacefully about an hour and a half after it began, at 4pm.

Students, activists and monks have been marching to Yangon from Mandalay since January in hopes that they can put pressure on lawmakers to change a much-loathed education bill passed late last year. The law, which parliamentarians are expected to review again this week, bans student unions and puts the power to make key education decisions with a central authority.

The march was halted in Letpadan, about 90 miles to the north of Yangon, earlier this week by police who have vowed to take action against the participants, many of whom have refused to budge and defied the authorities by going on hunger strike.

As of early this evening, there was no resolution to the deadlock.