Thailand police arrested three students at Thursday opening of the latest "Hunger Games" franchise, "The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 1" in Thailand.
The rivals of the May's military coup have adopted the movie's three-finger salute as their sign of rebelliousness. The government in Thailand already banned this gesture; this three-finger salute symbolizes rebellion against dictatorial rule in the movie.
One cinema chain in Thailand already cancelled all screening of "Mockingjay - Part 1" before its opening Thursday opening due to the anti-coup protest plan of the student group outside one of the said cinemas. It was the activists that made the cinema chain stopped the showings.
Two student activists were arrested outside the cinema and the third student activist was taken away by the police inside a shopping mall cinema after they made the three-finger salute of "The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 1" giant billboard. The two student activists were released without any charges while the third student, Nachacha Kongudom, was held by the soldiers for more questioning.
Nachacha, 21-years-old told The Associated Press, the movie "Mockingjay Part 1" was a reflection of what is happening in their society and when the people have been held back for some time, they would want to stand firm and fight for their rights.
One of the released student activists, Ratthapol Supasopon, said that although they are against the government and they may made actions in the past that are politically driven but at that moment, they are just there to watch a movie.
In the movie "Hunger Games" the three-finger salute is a sign of admiration, thanks and goodbye to a loved one. However, some activists in Thailand take on the salute as a form of their silent resistance to the government.
The photos of the students who were doing the three-finger salute appeared on the front page of different Thai newspaper.
"Hunger Games-Mockingjay Part 1" Hollywood production company Lionsgate had not yet releases any comments regarding the incident in Thailand.
