The Dusit District Court in Bangkok acquitted six anti-establishment Ratsadon protest leaders yesterday (Monday) of defying the Emergency Decree and the law on public assembly, in connection with a protest at the Democracy Monument on August 3rd, 2020.

The court did, however, find them guilty of using loudspeakers in public without permission and fined them 200 baht each. The court also noted that the protesters had adhered to social distancing during the protest and only briefly took to the streets around the monument before quickly returning to the pavements when told to do so by the police.

The six defendants were Chonthicha Jaengrew, Patsaravalee Tanakitvibulpon, Chartchai Kaedam, Suwanna Tarnlek, Narong Duangkaew and Chuwet Detdittharak. Other protest leaders, among them Arnon Nampa, were tried separately in the Criminal Court.

The case dates back to the August 3rd, 2020 “Harry Potter” protest, which sought the assistance of supernatural powers to oust the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. About 300 people attended the protest.