State of emergency in Thailand’s capital following student-led protests

Pro-democracy protesters flash three-fingered salutes during a protest (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

Thailand’s government declared a strict new state of emergency for the capital, a day after a student-led protest against the country’s traditional establishment saw an extraordinary moment in which demonstrators heckled a royal motorcade.

After the pre-dawn declaration, riot police moved in to clear out demonstrators who after a day of rallies and confrontation had gathered outside prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s office to push their demands, which include the former general stepping down, constitutional changes and reform of the monarchy.