Police in Myanmar have fired water cannon to disperse protesters who have taken to the streets, despite a ban on large public gatherings.
The military has prohibited gatherings of more than five people in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay, with a curfew.
The rules were brought in after three straight days of mass protests, following the overthrow of Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a coup.
State TV said on Monday action “must be taken” against those breaking the law.
However, the BBC’s Jonathan Head notes there has yet to be a sustained effort to break up the protest, with all eyes on the military.
If they move, our South East Asia correspondent says, the risk of a repeat of the bloodshed seen in the past in Myanmar – also known as Burma – is much higher.
On Monday, military leader Min Aung Hlaing warned that no one is above the law, although he did not issue a direct threat to protesters.
But the mood remained defiant as protesters calling for democracy to be restored returned to the streets on Tuesday.
“We are not worried about their warning. That’s why we came out today. We cannot accept their excuse of vote fraud. We do not want any military dictatorship,” teacher Thein Win Soe told news agency AFP.
Water cannon was also repeatedly fired against a crowd of protesters in Nay Pyi Taw, who withstood the barrage and refused to retreat, according to Reuters news agency.
“End the military dictatorship”, people yelled out.
According to BBC Burmese, protesters in Nay Pyi Taw were even joined by a police officer. Protesters have been calling on police officers to join their cause.
One political analyst, Kin Zaw Win, had earlier told news outlet Al Jazeera that police were closer to Aung San Suu Kyi compared to the military and would be more “likely to stand with protesters” than soldiers.
Source:Fiilafmonline/BBC
