Imitating the movie "Mockingjay,"

protesters get arrested in Thailand

By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 11.25.14
Word Count 479

Nachacha Kongudom, 21, raises a three-nger salute outside a cinema where The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
is showing, in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 20, 2014. Police detained three students Thursday at the opening of the latest
"Hunger Games" movie in Thailand, where opponents of Mays military coup have adopted the lms three-nger salute as
a sign of deance. Photo: AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

Life is imitating a movie in Thailand. Students there are using a hand signal from the
Hunger Games movies to protest against the military. Now, ofcials have banned the
three-nger salute and have arrested young demonstrators for using it.
Three students in the capital, Bangkok, were arrested in a movie theater showing The
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. The students were the latest protesters accused of
using a hand gesture from the movie. "Mockinjay" is the newest movie based on the books
by Suzanne Collins about teens ghting a tyrant.
Thailand's military took over the government on May 22 and cut back freedoms, including
the right to protest. The military said it was necessary to restore order after months of
protests.

Using Symbols Against Military Rule

In 2013, Thailand was hit by demonstrations for and against the last prime minister. People
against the prime minister called his government dishonest and corrupt and said it should
go. Supporters said the government was elected by the people and should stay.
Groups of ve or more people have been banned since the military took over. Young
people are frustrated by not being able to get together and demand more freedoms.
Many young protesters are using symbols to protest the military rule. Some are reading
1984, George Orwells novel about a ght against a dictatorship, openly in public.
Premieres of Mockingjay were canceled at two Bangkok movie theaters. Student
organizers had bought up hundreds of tickets. They planned to give tickets away and
gather people against the military. A colonel with the city's police said the three students
who were arrested were taken to an army camp for attitude adjustment.
The Chinese government held back Mockingjay from the countrys theaters until next
year, said the magazine Variety. It wasnt clear if that was because of the movie's
popularity with pro-democracy activists. Chinese ofcials have been dealing with protests
for greater democracy in Hong Kong for over a month.

"Ruin Their Future"

In Thailand, ve other student protesters were arrested for using the three-nger salute.
They used it during a speech by the army's leader, Prayuth Chan-Ocha.
Prayuth told reporters that it only bothered him when the students used the hand sign
because it could "ruin their future." Prayuth also said that restrictions of freedoms will
continue until the time is right to lift them.
Defenders of human rights criticized the government. They said banning symbols of
protest is going too far.
Matilda Bogner, a United Nations human rights ofcial, called it a human rights violation. It
shuts down people's right to speak out, she said.
"Life in Thailand is growing more absurd by the day," John Sifton wrote in a Twitter post. He
works for the group Human Rights Watch.
If Prayuth's government is that afraid of young people imitating a movie, that is a sign that
things need to change, Sifton wrote.

Quiz
1

Which of the following sentences is MOST relevant to the main idea?

(A)

Groups of ve or more people have been banned since the military took
over.

(B)

The Chinese government held back Mockingjay from the countrys theaters
until next year, said the magazine Variety.

(C)

In Thailand, ve other student protesters were arrested for using the threenger salute.

(D)

Premieres of Mockingjay were canceled at two Bangkok movie theaters.

Select the paragraph from the section "Ruin Their Future" that describes the Thai ofcials
reason behind the banning of symbols of protest.

Read the sentence from the article.

Prayuth told reporters that it only bothered him when the students
used the hand sign because it could "ruin their future."
Which of these words, if it replaces the word "bothered" in the sentence above, would change
the meaning of the sentence?

(A)

troubled

(B)

harassed

(C)

disturbed

(D)

worried

What does the word absurd mean as it is used in this sentence?

"Life in Thailand is growing more absurd by the day," John Sifton wrote
in a Twitter post.
(A)

ridiculous

(B)

difcult

(C)

ignorant

(D)

confusing