Scores of high-school students in Thailand took part Tuesday in anti-government protests sweeping the country — by giving a three-fingered “Hunger Games’’ salute during the national anthem at morning assembly.
“What we are witnessing is the beginning of a social revolution,’’ Bangkok political scientist Prajak Kongkirati said of the discontent — which included the students mimicking the sign of solidarity among the masses against their oppressive regime in the dystopian book and movie series.
Students from more than a dozen Thai high schools participated in the show of support for their country’s pro-Democracy protesters, who have been holding rallies at university campuses nearly daily since last month.
The protesters are demanding that Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who came to power in a coup in 2014, step down and free elections be held.
“I want to show that I don’t like dictatorship and want true democracy,” said a 17-year-old high-schooler, who participated in a protest at her school Monday — and asked not to be named because she was afraid of repercussions from her teachers.
In addition to national issues, public-school students also complained that they have to deal with restrictive traditions, including being forced to wear uniform haircuts.
With Post wires
