Volunteer 'guards' arrested and charged with illegal gathering
Pro-democracy guards going by the name "We Volunteer" (WEV) were arrested on Monday and charged with
violating officials’ order, after trying to remove barbed tapes and barriers the police had left at the Uruphong intersection in Bangkok since October 21.
The WEVO posted on Monday that they would remove the barbed tapes from the intersection, since they obstructed people’s movement.
The operation was scheduled to run from 9pm and the WEVO guards arrived punctually at the intersection.
The WEVO guards at first contacted officials for removing the tapes and barriers. However, no official appeared within 30 minutes so the WEVO started their own operation at around 9.45pm.
Metropolitan Police deputy chief Attawit Saisueb and his subordinates later arrived at the scene, asking the WEVO to stop removing the things. Piyarat Chongthep, the WEVO leader, insisted on continuing their operation.
Around 11am, 18 guards were taken to Phya Thai Police Station. Piyarat reported via his social media that two WEVO guards among 18 were punched and kicked by the police.
After their arrests were announced, some pro-democracy people gathered at the station.
At 1.17am on Tuesday, police informed that the WEVO guards would be interrogated and released.
At 5.30am, Piyarat and others came out of the station. He told the press that all guards were charged with violation of official orders and illegal gathering. The WEVO guards denied all charges and were scheduled to meet the interrogators again on December 28.
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