Controlling, repressing

In a follow-up to earlier news, a Prachatai report tells of more efforts to control students in Chiang Mai.

The report states that on “10 November, a scuffle broke out in front of Phupingrajanivej police station when police tried to seize a banner from students and activists who went to the station in support of 2 Chiang Mai University (CMU) lecturers and 1 CMU student being charged there.  The clash left two protesters with minor injuries. Their banner carried the innocuous message ‘Art is short. A criminal case is long’.”

This relates to royalist Asawinee Wanjing, a “former Dean of CMU’s Faculty of Fine Arts, filed a trespassing charge against two faculty lecturers, Sorayut Aiemueayut and Thasnai Sethaseree, and a Fine Arts student, Yotsunthorn Ruttapradid.”

The “police stopped gatherers from tying banners in front of the police station.” So the protesters held the banner aloft.

Policemen then “tried to snatch a banner from Yotsunthorn, other protests intervened. In the ensuing scuffle, police placed one demonstrator in a chokehold.”

Excessive force is normalized.