Sakchai Lalit/AP
A theater chain in Thailand yanked the latest 'Hunger Games' movie from its reels amid reports that student protesters were arrested for flashing the film's three-fingered salute at the prime minister during a speech.
Anti-military coup protesters have been mimicking the film series' gesture of defiance since the spring, when the country's army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power in a military junta, jailed critics, installed himself as prime minister and declared martial law.
Prayuth was speaking Wednesday in the city of Khon Kaen when five students wearing anti-coup T-shirts flashed the symbol and were immediately dragged away by military police, the Bangkok Post reported.
Hours later, the Apex Group cinema chain cancelled an opening of the latest installment, 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1.'
A rep told the Post local police had been in touch with the chain's brass but had not pressured them to bag the film.
Murray Close/Lionsgate
Nevertheless, the rep said, 'We feel our theatres are being used for political movements.'
Earlier this week, an anticoup student group launched a Facebook campaign called 'Raise Three Fingers, Bring Popcorn and Go to the Theater' in which it offered 160 free tickets to anyone who could answer the question, 'How does the Capitol resemble Bangkok?' the Post reported.
In 'The Hunger Games,' the Capitol serves as the wealthy, corrupt center of the impoverished, rural country of Panem.
Apex reps told the Post they'd received a phone call asking for 200 tickets for the film's premier on Thursday, which they later discovered were being given away by the student group, the League of Liberal Thammasat for Democracy.
In place of 'Mockingjay,' the theater chain plans to show a new Woody Allen film, 'Magic in the Moonlight.'
At his speech in Khon Kaen, some six hours north of Bangkok and a stronghold of the former prime minister, Prayuth hastily brushed off the demonstration by the five students, who wore t-shirts saying 'Don't Want a Coup.'
'Well, that's it. But it's okay. Go easy on them,' he said, smiling, according to the Post. 'We will take care of the problems.'
'Anyone else want to protest? Come quickly,' he added. 'Then I can continue with my speech.'
With News Wire Services
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, November 20, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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