Myanmar protesters defy military crackdown

The image of a Catholic nun kneeling in front of heavily armed police begging them not to shoot protesters in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, went viral this week as anti-coup protests continued around the country. Sister Anna Rose Nu Tawng asked police to shoot her instead of “the children” Monday, yet security forces still opened fire on the crowd, killing at least two. In the second-largest city of Mandalay, protesters sought new ways to avoid confrontation with the police Tuesday: Some marched with homemade shields before dispersing, others rode on motorbikes.

How has the military responded to the protests? Authorities have killed more than 60 protesters and detained more than 1,930 people since the Feb. 1 coup in Myanmar, also known as Burma. A second member of the ousted ruling party died in police custody on Tuesday, raising concerns about torture. The military leadership has also revoked the licenses of five media outlets that covered the protests. On Tuesday, officers raided another media house and detained its co-founder and editor.

Dig deeper: Read Angela Lu Fulton’s WORLD Magazine report on the protest movement.