THE #SaveParit hashtag is going viral on Thai social media after Mr. Parit Chivarak, or Penguin, a political activist, was arrested by police at 4.20 p.m. just as he was going to attend a rally at Nonthaburi pier, Sanook.com reported today (August 14, 2020).
Police showed him a Criminal Court arrest warrant number 1172/2563 with some of the charges being inciting and causing chaos in the country, advertising and using an amplifier without permission and blocking the traffic.
This arrest stems from the rally held by the Free Youth group at the Democracy Monument on July 18 and is the same case that two other youth leaders, Mr. Panupong Chadnok, or Mike Rayong, and Mr. Anon Nampha, are embroiled in.
Parit told the police he rejects the process and authority of the officials to intimidate people. However the police told him that any disobedience would be considered obstruction of the order and the carrying out of their duty and they then bundled him into an ordinary sedan and took him to Samranrat police station. He gave the thee-finger salute as he was taken away.
The hashtage #SaveParit has quickly risen to number one on Thai Twitter trend.
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Top: Penguin being arrested late afternoon. Photo: Sanook.com
