Originally published on February 18, 2014
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Clashes between protesters and police trying to clear rally sites in Bangkok left three people dead and about 60 injured on Tuesday.
As authorities urged protesters to leave the area near Government House, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban led marchers from rally sites to join demonstrators from the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand who have been occupying Government House for weeks. They refused to obey the order to vacate the site and announced that they would not let authorities seize the area. On Monday, protesters poured cement onto a sandbag wall to deter police from entering the complex. On Tuesday, there was pushing and shoving between protesters and officers, but the standoff remained largely peaceful.
Clashes on the Phan Fa Lilat Bridge were sparked when protest leader Somkiat Pongpaiboon was arrested. While he did not put up resistance, his supporters were enraged and started throwing stones and shooting at police. Police responded by throwing tear gas grenades. One grenade later exploded near a group of police officers, injuring four of them.
Three people, including one police officer and two protesters, were killed in the clashes. Another 60 police and protesters were injured. Authorities did not say how many of those injured were police and how many were protesters.
Authorities managed to reclaim the Ministry of Energy and made around 100 arrests. According to the Bangkok Post, police also aim to clear protest sites at the Suan Mitsakawan intersection, the Interior Ministry and Chaeng Wattana Road in future operations. Police have not announced plans to clear protest camps in commercial areas.
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