Thai protesters make point with own blood

Thai protesters began pouring their own blood on government buildings in Bangkok in a symbolic sacrifice to press their demands for new elections yesterday.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th Mar 2010, 20:54 BST
Updated 16th Mar 2010, 20:55 BST

Thousands of red-shirted demonstrators formed long queues to have their blood drawn by nurses, a day after their leaders vowed to collect a million cubic centimetres of blood – the equivalent of 1,000 standard soft drink bottles – to spill at Government House.

A few teaspoons of blood were drawn from the veins of tens of thousands of volunteers. The blood was poured into dozens of plastic containers that were passed overhead through the crowd of cheering protesters before being dumped at Government House. A protest leader Nattawut Saikua declared: "The blood of the common people is mixing together to fight for democracy."

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Riot police allowed protest leaders to approach the white iron front gate and pour out the blood, which oozed under the gate as national TV broadcast the images live.

As many as 100,000 Red Shirt protesters converged on Bangkok on Monday to demand that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva agree to dissolve parliament. The Red Shirts include supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and other activists who oppose the 2006 military coup that removed him for alleged corruption and abuse of power.

Related topics:Thai