(REUTERS): Tens of thousands of people took to the streets for a second day today (Sunday) in Yangon in the biggest rally staged against the Myanmar military coup and detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi last week.
The protests, which took place despite an internet blockade, were the biggest demonstrations in the country since the 2007 Buddhist monk-led Saffron Revolution.
Some estimates put the number of protesters in Yangon at 100,000 and there were reports of large demonstrations in other cities, with rallies condemning the coup that brought Myanmar’s 10-year experiment with democracy to a crashing halt.
Protesters in Yangon carried red balloons, the colour representing Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy Party (NLD), chanting, “We don’t want military dictatorship! We want democracy!”
They waved NLD flags and gestured with the three-finger salute that has become a symbol of protest against the coup. Drivers honked their horns and passengers held up photos of Suu Kyi.
“I completely despise the military coup and I am not afraid of a crackdown. I will join every day until Amay Suu (Mother Suu) is freed,” said Kyi Phyu Kyaw, a 20-year-old university student.
Police with riot shields blocked the path of the protesters at several points in the city, but a huge crowd was able to gather near Yangon City Hall without any clashes. Some protesters handed out roses to policemen.
By mid-morning about 100 people had taken to the streets on motorbikes in the coastal town of Mawlamyine in the southeast, and students and doctors were gathering in the city of Mandalay in central Myanmar.
The surge in popular dissent over the weekend overcame a nationwide internet blockade. Monitoring service NetBlocks said internet access was partially restored on some mobile networks in Myanmar Sunday afternoon, but social media platforms remained blocked.
