Several hundred supporters of the Future Forward party gathered in  front of Bangkok’s Pathumwan district police station this morning to offer moral support to party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who was there to acknowledge charges of sedition and of abetting or giving shelter to a criminal suspect in an incident dating back to 2015.

The supporters shouted their support and gave him flowers while hundreds of policemen, deployed to maintain peace and order, looked on.

Before entering the station, Thanathorn told his supporters that all of them, himself included, came here for justice and that none of them want to incite unrest. He urged his fans not to follow him into the police station, saying that it was unnecessary and that “they might be exploited by ill-intentioned elements to cause trouble.”

Representatives  from several western embassies, including the European Union, the United States and Canada, were seen at the police station to observe the event.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul was also spotted at the police station, reportedly there to observe the police questioning of the Future Forward party leader.

Thanathorn is accused of abetting the escape of political activist Rangsiman Rome, who was wanted by the police for illegally holding  a protest against the military junta in Pathumwan district on the first anniversary of the military takeover four years ago.

Thanathorn denied the charges which he described as politically motivated.