A car occupied by Myanmar security forces rammed into a congregation of anti-coup protestors Sunday, December 5 morning in Yangon, according to the local news portal Myanmar Now. 5 people were killed in the carnage and at least 15 arrested. Reuters reported that dozens were injured in the incident. Viral photos and videos of the fateful incident show a vehicle crashing through the crowd and bodies lying on the road. The bloodied protest in the morning gave way to another anti-coup demonstration in the afternoon.
The opposition's shadow government paid condolence to the deceased and noted that it was heartbroken to see peaceful protesters crashed to death. "We will strongly respond to the terrorist military who brutally, inhumanly killed the unarmed peaceful protesters," the National Unity Government's defense ministry released a statement on social media in the aftermath of the Sunday morning's attack.
Ever since the military overthrew an elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi earlier this year on February 1, the country of Myanmar has seen numerous anti-coup protests despite over 1300 people killed during these protests.
'Flash mob' anti-coup protest
According to eyewitness accounts, a 'flash mob' anti-coup protest in the streets of Yangon was run over by a car occupied by soldiers, minutes after it started. A protestor on the condition of anonymity told Reuters on the phone that after he got hit and fell down in front of a truck, a soldier beat him with his rifle and as he proceeded to escape, the soldier even fired several rounds at him. The protestor, however, successfully escaped without getting shot.
Other witnesses noted that the military car hit the crowd from the back, took advantage of the chaos that unfolded, and followed the scattered protestors, arresting and beating them. Some protestors sustained severe injuries. The ruling junta has not released any statement on Sunday's carnage yet. The military, however, alleged that the protestors who were killed initiated the violence.
