Myanmar protests continue as Internet access is restored

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Internet was restored in Myanmar as thousands of protesters continued demonstrations against the military coup six days ago.

People took to the streets on Sunday morning, many carrying posters of leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has been detained in her home as well as wearing red T-shirts and headbands bearing a white star and golden fighting peacock, the logo for her National League for Democracy Party.

Demonstrators gathered by the thousands in Yangon, the country's largest city, while protests spanned from central Monywa to Mawlamyine on the eastern coast, as participants chanted "we don't want military dictatorship, we want democracy" and "release our leaders."

Police in riot gear set up barricades to stop demonstrators from marching into downtown Yangon, while they fired warning shots to force a group to disperse in Myawaddy.

Internet access returned on Sunday afternoon after authorities restricted access and blocked some social media websites, according to Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor, following an order from the government for a nationwide shutdown of its network due to the "circulation of fake news, stability of the nation and interest of the public."

On Saturday, text messages falsely claiming that Suu Kyi had been released were widely distributed in what activists said was an attempt to drive down turnout for the protests.

The Myanmar military took control of the government and implemented a nationwide state of emergency Monday, detaining Suu Kyi and other democratically elected officials.

The military, known as the Tatmadaw, said it called a yearlong state of emergency over alleged irregularities with November's parliamentary elections, during which Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy Party won a landslide with 399 of the 462 seats in parliament.