The New York Times
Richard C. Paddock
Feb. 20, 2021
Feb. 20, 2021
Myanmar Security Forces Crack Down on Protesters
Security forces on Saturday opened fire on protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar, according to witnesses, killing two people and wounding dozens. Demonstrators have been rallying for weeks against the Feb. 1 military coup.
Security forces on Saturday opened fire on protesters in Mandalay, Myanmar, according to witnesses, killing two people and wounding dozens. Demonstrators have been rallying for weeks against the Feb. 1 military coup.CreditCredit...Aso/Associated Press
Security forces in Myanmar opened fire on protesters in the city of Mandalay on Saturday, killing two people and wounding dozens, according to witnesses.
The shootings occurred as the authorities were trying to force workers back to their jobs at a local shipyard. They were among hundreds of thousands of workers across Myanmar who have walked off their jobs to protest the military’s Feb. 1 coup and its ouster of elected civilian leaders.
More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the shipyard to block the police, leading to a tense standoff that lasted much of Saturday afternoon. The authorities used water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, slingshots and ultimately live ammunition to break up the crowd, witnesses said.
The shootings occurred as the authorities were trying to force workers back to their jobs at a local shipyard. They were among hundreds of thousands of workers across Myanmar who have walked off their jobs to protest the military’s Feb. 1 coup and its ouster of elected civilian leaders.
More than 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the shipyard to block the police, leading to a tense standoff that lasted much of Saturday afternoon. The authorities used water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, slingshots and ultimately live ammunition to break up the crowd, witnesses said.