Tuesday, December 03, 2013

A tale of two protests: Ukraine and Thailand...

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The pro-EU protests in Ukraine have used bulldozers to break through police barricades. This has not been condemned by the West, and as long as Thai protesters ensure to protect the lives of by-standers and police, similar measures must surely be seen as "acceptable" international "norms." For Thai protesters, however, it is unlikely that they would benefit from or even desire driving a bulldozer at fellow countrymen, and could instead use large vehicles to breach walls where police cannot defend, in order to gain access to government buildings.

Fire also seems to be an acceptable means of protest. Called "peaceful" by the United States and other pro-EU governments, in both Ukraine and in previous, pro-regime rallies in Thailand, fire can be used (and should only be used) to create defensive barriers to limit the forward movement of police. It should be placed far ahead of police to force them to make lengthy preparations to breach such barriers. In this time, protesters can than move to better strategic positions to achieve their objectives.

And while protests in the Ukraine supported by the "international community" may give Thais several cues on what to do, they also give Thais the opportunity to show that they are better.

While the Ukraine protesters represent hooligans, racists, bigots, and literally entire parties promoting neo-Nazismsuch as Svoboda mentioned in this BBC article (Nazi background here), who cannot be guaranteed to not eventually resort to escalating levels of violence, the Thai protesters must remain peaceful. Police that are overwhelmed should be treated with dignity and reminded that they are fellow countrymen and not the true targets of the protesters nor their goal - but rather the goal of us all - the removal of corporate-financier interests dictated from afar. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Topless Femen activists urinate on Ukrainian president's photo (18+)
  2. Congratulations, Ukraine!
  3. How did Thailand’s progressive middle class end up calling for an end to democracy?
  4. Ukraine pro-EU protests: ‘It’s not a rally, it’s a revolution’
  5. Protesters angered by rape, storm police HQ in Ukrainian town...
  6. Fist fights the norm in Ukraine's parliament. Democracy in action?

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