BANGKOK: Thousands of Thai "Red Shirts" gathered in Bangkok on Saturday to mark nine months since a bloody crackdown on their anti-government rally and to press for the release of detained leaders.
Police estimated around 8,000 protesters massed in Ratchaprasong, the retail heart of the city, and a further thousand met at Democracy Monument, both sites of bloodshed during last year's April and May demonstration.
Dressed in their trademark colour and waving banners, flags and plastic clappers, the crowd cheered loudly as the movement's few key figures not detained by authorities spoke to protesters.
"We came today to ask for justice for our people who died exactly nine months ago at this place," said Thida Thavornseth, leader of Red Shirt movement.
"They died for our fight we will ask for justice for them from those who do not show either political responsibility or legal responsibility," she said.
More than 90 died and nearly 1,900 were injured in clashes between protesters and the army during the two-month rallies in 2010 calling for immediate elections.
Thailand's political landscape has remained fractured since the unrest.
Many Red Shirt leaders remain in prison on terrorism charges and the protest movement has held a series of peaceful one-day rallies in the capital in recent weeks demanding their release.
Their arch-rivals -- "Yellow Shirt" nationalist activists who claim allegiance to the throne -- have been rallying near Government House recently in protest at Abhisit's handling of a deadly border dispute with Cambodia.
The cabinet recently agreed to invoke the Internal Security Act in Bangkok to cope with the renewed political rallies.
Around 4,500 police officers were deployed in the city to maintain law and order, said national police spokesman Major General Prawut Thavornsiri.
Red Shirts, many of whom came into Bangkok from nearby provinces on motorcycles, cars and pick-up trucks, later formed a procession and moved through the city towards the Supreme Court to press their demands.
Jatuporn Prompan, another key leader, promised to intensify their campaign.
"It is a full nine months since our friends lost their freedom, but they will be with us for the one year anniversary here," he said, adding that the court will rule whether to grant bail to seven leaders on February 21.
On the street Red Shirt Worachai Hema said the group were determined to continue protesting at Ratchaprasong, despite authorities' attempts to persuade them to congregate at nearby park.
"Our people died here so we will not move to anywhere else," he said.
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