YANGON, Myanmar (AP) – Thousands of people revolted against the military takeover in Myanmar’s largest city on Sunday, demanding the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose elected government was overthrown by the military, which also imposed an internet blackout.
The protest crowd has grown bigger and bolder since Monday’s coup.
At least 2,000 union and student activists and members of the public chanted “Long Live Mother Suu” and “Down with the Military Dictatorship” at a major crossroads near Yangon University. They were marching along a main road, traffic growling. Drivers honked in support.
Police in riot gear blocked the main entrance of the university. Two water cannon wagons were parked nearby.
The protesters held placards calling for freedom for Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, who were placed under house arrest and charged with minor offenses, which many saw as a legal veneer for their detention.
On Saturday, new military authorities cut off most internet access, making Twitter and Instagram inaccessible. Facebook had already been blocked earlier this week, but not completely effective.
The US Embassy called on the military to relinquish power and restore the democratically elected government, release those detained, lift all telecommunications restrictions and refrain from violence.
“We support the right of the people of Myanmar to protest in support of the democratically elected government and their right to free access to information,” said a tweet.
The communication blockade is a strong reminder of the progress Myanmar is in danger of losing after Monday’s coup d’état brought the nation back under direct military rule after a nearly decade-long move towards greater openness and democracy. During Myanmar’s five decades of military rule, the country was internationally isolated and communications with the outside world were tightly controlled.
Suu Kyi’s five years as a leader since 2015 has been Myanmar’s most democratic period, despite the military’s retention of widespread power, the continued use of colonial-era repressive laws, and the persecution of minority Rohingya Muslims.
Sunday’s rally came a day after about 1,000 people – factory workers and prominent students among them – marched into Yangon. They were met by more than 100 riot police.
No violence has been reported. Demonstrations of a similar magnitude took place in at least two other parts of Yangon and in Mandalay, the second largest city. In Yangon City Hall, protesters presented flowers to the police.
Nearly 300 elected lawmakers from Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy reportedly took their seats in a new session of Parliament after the November elections last Monday, when the military announced it would take power for a year.
The military accused Suu Kyi and her party of failing to act on their complaints, as the election commission had been tainted by fraud recently, although the election commission said it found no evidence to support the allegations.
Lawmakers met at an online meeting on Friday to proclaim themselves as the only legitimate representatives of the people and demand international recognition as the country’s government.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promised that the United Nations will do everything it can to unite the international community and create the conditions for the military coup in Myanmar to be reversed.