Myanmar’s military junta has issued arrest warrants against six celebrities for encouraging strikes. They have left many government offices paralyzed in protests against this month’s coup. As near as 500 arrests have taken place since then.
Thousands of chanting protesters gathered at a busy intersection near the main university in Yangon, country’s largest city. Students were due to gather in a different part of the city to protests against the February 1 coup, the detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The street marches have been more peaceful than bloodily suppressed demonstrations in a previous half century of army rule.
In the second-biggest city of Mandalay, protesters rallied to demand the release of two officials arrested in the coup. There has been no sign of the strikes easing despite junta threatens civil servants to return to work.
The army announced on Wednesday that six celebrities, including film directors and actors were wanted under an anti-incitement law. The army alleged that they were encouraging civil servants to join in the protest. The charges can carry a two-year prison sentence.