Thai protesters defy court order to leave compound

Thousands of demonstrators, some armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks, defied a court order to end their occupation of the prime minister's office compound yesterday, vowing to remain until the country's leaders resign.
Dozens of members of the People's Alliance for Democracy clad in military fatigues wielded makeshift weapons as they stood guard around the perimeter of the compound, which the demonstrators have occupied since Tuesday. Protesters locked most of the gates and built barriers in anticipation of a possible police raid.
The group's leaders said they have a legal right to protest there.
"The PAD is not doing anything wrong," said Chamlong Srimuang, one of the leaders, referring to the initials of the alliance. "We are staging a protest because the government has made too many mistakes and has no legitimacy to run the country."
The alliance wants to force the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to step down, accusing it of corruption and of serving as a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several corruption cases.Late Wednesday, Bangkok Civil Court issued a ruling ordering the alliance to leave the government compound and stop blocking public streets. The Criminal Court also issued warrants for the arrest of the nine alliance leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse.
Insurrection, which is the legal equivalent of treason, carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
Thousands of additional supporters poured into the grounds in response, and many formed a human chain overnight around the group's top leaders to prevent them from being taken away.