Protesters protesting the military coup in Myanmar wore homemade shields and moved with greater caution and agility on Tuesday, adapting their tactics to the increasingly violent methods of the security forces, who have no qualms about using deadly force. to disperse the crowds.

In Mandalay, the second largest city in the country, around 1,000 protesters took to the streets. In front of the contingent, the protesters carried shields painted with a three-finger salute, the symbol of resistance to the movement. They marched for just a few minutes before dispersing to avoid a possible confrontation with riot police. Another group, meanwhile, demonstrated on motorcycles.

Most of the time, the security forces have used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to prevent people from gathering, but on other occasions they have fired firearms into the crowd. The crackdown has left more than 60 protesters dead, but has not stopped massive protests against the February 1 coup in which the elected ruler Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted from continuing.

An elementary school principal who is part of the protests died Tuesday of unknown causes after being detained by security forces, according to press reports and an activist who knew him.

Zaw Myat Lin’s death in police custody is the second of its kind in recent days. The victim belonged to the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s party.

The deaths of Zaw Myat Lin and Khin Maung Latt, a party activist who was arrested on Saturday night and whose body was removed from a military hospital the next day, have raised questions about whether the government tortures and murders the detainees. Witnesses said Khin Maung Latt’s body bore possible marks of torture, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.

Zaw Myat Lin was arrested Monday night while trying to escape a police operation, the Voice of Myanmar news portal and other local media reported.

Maung Saungkha, an activist and friend of Zaw Myat Lin, said his family was called to collect the body on Tuesday, and they were not informed of the cause of death.

The nights have become more and more dangerous. Police and military units roam neighborhoods, firing at random to intimidate residents and make targeted arrests.

According to the Myanmar-based Political Prisoners Assistance Association, more than 1,930 people have been arrested in connection with the coup. Dozens of journalists have been arrested, including Thein Zaw of The Associated Press.

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