Thai Protesters Pour Own Blood On Government's Gates

Blood was spilled at the gates of government in Bangkok today, as protesters followed through on a promise to dramatically demonstrate their opposition to the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

As NPR's Michael Sullivan reports from Bangkok, the blood had been collected from thousands of people who have joined in the so-called red-shirt protests against Vejjajiva. More than 100,000 demonstrators have taken part in the so-far peaceful protests, he adds:

The protests in recent days, the BBC writes, are "the latest in a deep political schism in the country linked to the 2006 military coup which deposed former leader Thaksin Shinawatra." Red-shirt leaders are demanding that Vejjajiva dissolve the parliament and step down. They want new elections, which NPR's Sullivan says Sinawatra's supporters would almost surely win. Vejjajiva has rejected those demands.

The BBC adds that:

 

Health officials, the Red Cross and even the protesters' figurehead, Mr Thaksin, expressed concern about how hygienic the mass blood donation was. But the protesters, including several monks, brushed off the concerns.

"We have three tents for blood donations. All people who conduct the blood drawing will be doctors, nurses or other qualified people who came here voluntarily," said senior red shirt leader, Dr Weng Tojilakarn, who normally runs his own medical practice.

According to the Associated Press:

"A few teaspoons of blood were drawn from the veins of each volunteer and then transferred into dozens of large plastic water jugs that were passed overhead through the crowd of cheering protesters before being delivered to Government House, the prime minister's office. Police allowed protest leaders to approach the white iron front gate and pour out the blood, which oozed under the gate as national television broadcast the images live."