In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen’s three-fingered salute is a symbol of resistance against the Capitol. And in Thailand, pro-Democracy protesters have adopted the gesture. As Reuters reports, “Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha led a military coup in May and the military has quashed any public demonstration of resistance to the coup since then. A ban on political gatherings remains in place. In the immediate aftermath of the coup, some protesters flashed a three-fingered salute inspired by Hunger Games series. The salute has become emblematic with Thai pro-democracy protesters, and the Thai government has warned the public against using it.” Three students in Bangkok were arrested this week after giving the salute while handing out tickets to the latest Hunger Games movie. “The three-finger sign is a sign to show that I am calling for my basic right to live my life,” Bangkok University student Natchacha Kongudom told reporters.
Natchacha is a supporter of the Thai Student Centre for Democracy (TSCD), which distributed 100 tickets to the movie. “There may be some hidden messages in the movie, but we are also a group that enjoys films,” TSCD organizer Ratthapol Supasopon said before being arrested. “The third detained student carried a copy of George Orwell’s novel 1984, which has also been deployed as a symbol of protest by those opposing Thailand’s military rule.”
