Clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok left three people dead and 57 others injured on Tuesday as riot police attempted to clear out protest camps around the Thai capital. (Feb. 18)
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Bangkok — February 18, 2014
1. Wide of police behind riot shields, firing what is believed to be rubber bullets at protesters
2. Wide of tear gas in street with protesters in background
3. Mid of police advancing
4. Mid of police moving into shelter and clubbing a protester over the head
5. Wide of protester throwing plastic chair at police, police kick tear gas towards protesters
6. Wide of police retreating AUDIO: Gunfire
7. Mid of wounded policeman, face bloodied, being put into back of ambulance
8. Mid of injured protester on stretcher
9. Wide of masked protesters rolling barrels on road
10. Wide of protesters scattering as gunfire erupts (NOTE: Unclear which direction shots are coming from)
11. Wide of overturned and wrecked police car
12. Close of damaged car
STORYLINE
Clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok left three people dead and 57 others injured on Tuesday as riot police attempted to clear out protest camps around the Thai capital.
Multiple gunshots were heard at a spot near the prime minister’s office where riot police had started to remove protesters and dismantle a makeshift stage, but it wasn’t clear who was firing.
The Department of Special Investigation, meanwhile, accused protesters of launching grenades at the police.
Erawan emergency medical services said a 52-year-old male civilian was killed by a head wound and a police officer died from a chest wound.
It also said another man died, but didn’t have further details. Nearly 60 others were injured in the incident.
The violence erupted after police moved into several locations around the city to detain and remove protesters who have been camped out for weeks to press for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s resignation.
They have blocked access to government offices since late last year and occupied key intersections around Bangkok for about a month.
Until now, the police had refrained from dispersing them for fear of unleashing violence.
But on Monday, the government’s special security command centre announced it would reclaim five protest sites around the city for public use, a move made possible under a state of emergency declared in January.
Thousands of police officers, including armed anti-riot squads, were deployed across the city on Tuesday in an operation the government called “Peace for Bangkok.”
The operations came a day before the Civil Court hands down a ruling on the caretaker government’s invocation of the emergency decree, which allows authorities to exercise wide powers to detain protesters and hold them in custody for 30 days without charges.
If the decree is struck down by the court, the government will be forced to dismantle the special security command centre it had set up to enforce the emergency measures.
The protesters want Yingluck to step aside for an unelected people’s council to implement reforms they say are needed to end corruption.
Since the protests began in November, at least 12 people have been killed and scores injured.
