The military junta in Myanmar has warned protesters to leave or face action as police in capital Nay Pyi Taw used water cannon to disperse protesters.
A video was uploaded on social media showing protesters rubbing their eyes and helping one another after being soaked by water cannon. Two vehicles had sprayed protesters without prior warning while the crowd was peacefully protesting.
Protests in Myanmar have gained momentum against last Monday’s military coup in which elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and parliamentarians were arrested. Suu Kyi and senior leaders of her National League for Democracy Party (NLD), including President Win Myint, have been put under house arrest. The military seized power claiming without evidence that November election was fraudulent.
The military junta declared a year-long state of emergency in Myanmar and power has been handed over to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.
Thousands of protesters came out on streets for the third successive day on Monday calling for the release of Suu Kyi and for restoration of democracy. Sunday’s protest was the largest in Myanmar in more than a decade. Protests are peaceful, however, some injuries have been reported.
Besides capital Nay Pyi Taw, protesters — teachers, lawyers, bank officers and government workers — poured on the streets of Mandalay, Yangon and other cities.
There are protests online, also, with calls for workers to skip work to come on streets.
By Monday afternoon, the situation was tense but calm as crowds continued to gather, but the water-cannon vehicles were still present.
