After a week of increasing uncertainty over Myanmar's future, hundreds of teachers and students joined growing demonstrations across the country Friday, to protest the military's coup and show support for jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
On Monday, Myanmar's military announced it would be taking over the country for at least a year following the detainment of several top Myanmar politicians. The military cited mass voter fraud as justification for the coup hours before the new parliament was scheduled to meet for the first time since the November election.
According to the Associated Press, the country's election commission rejected any claims of voter fraud in the elections that saw the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party win only 33 of 476 possible parliamentary seats.
Anger among people in Myanmar has been growing since the coup, as activists and dissidents have encouraged acts of civil disobedience in protest.
Earlier this week, medical professionals from 70 hospitals across the country pledged to stop working in protest. In a statement to the international medical community, the doctors said they refused to recognize the military regime.
Protests on Thursday led to at least 30 detainments over pot-banging, according to Al Jazeera.
Friday, hundreds of teachers and students gathered outside the Yangon University of Education campus to protest, holding signs, wearing red ribbons, and displaying the "three-finger salute," inspired by The Hunger Games, but used in recent years by protesters throughout Asia, according to Reuters.
There were reportedly similar protests of teachers and students at Dagon University in Yangon.
Burmese refugees and nationals in neighboring countries have also gathered to protest the coup with activists in countries like Thailand, India, and Indonesia.
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