If I say the phrases Hunger Games and “life imitates
art” in the same sentence, you might start to worry. But this is
actually an inspiring appropriation of the practices of Panem. In
Thailand,
anti-coup protesters have adopted the three-fingered salute
used by Hunger Games‘ downtrodden, dystopian-future
citizens to express disapproval of their government.
In late May, Thai army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and supporters
took over the country, detaining current political leaders,
declaring martial law, shutting down international television
broadcasts, and imposing a national curfew. Chan-ocha was declared
“Prime Minister”. Since then, anti-coup protesters have been
demonstrating in Bangkok and on social media.
On Sunday, protesters gathered at the downtown Bangkok shopping
mall Terminal 21—along with a swarm of Thai soldiers and police
there to deter them. But the demonstration went down without
violence, though at least four people were arrested,
according to
Thai newspaper Prachatai. Among these was a woman
named Pairin Paungsiri, who was dragged off in an undercover cop
car while raising the three-finger salute out the window.
“Thais are avid consumers of pop culture, including
the Hunger Games movies,”
Quartz notes, “so it’s not surprising that they have
chosen to use the salute favored by cinematic heroine Katniss
Everdeen.”
Post-modernizing things a little further, the protesters said
the three raised fingers stand for “liberty, brotherhood, and
equality”—France’s national motto with roots in the French
Revolution.
from Hit & Run http://ift.tt/1rBVBUa
via IFTTT