Celebrities post about Myanmar military coup
Myanmar’s new military government has blocked access to Facebook as resistance to Monday’s coup surged amid calls for civil disobedience to protest the ousting of the elected civilian government and its leader Aung San Suu Kyi. https://t.co/xxrkxqIuEK
- The Associated Press (@AP) February 4, 2021
From Wednesday night (3 Feb) onwards, social media has been progressively blocked throughout Myanmar, including Facebook and associated platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram. This is in response to growing discontent over a military coup that took place in early Monday (1 Feb) local time, which saw the arrest of State Counsellor (a Prime Minister equivalent) Aung San Suu Kyi (ASSK) and other political leaders in both the capital Naypyidaw and the outlying regions.
Since 2010-2011, Myanmar has notionally operated as a parliamentary democracy overseen by a miliary junta, with the military and elected political leaders co-sharing power. The most recent elections in November 2020 saw ASSK's National League of Democracy win a crushing majority (396/476) in parliament, while the military proxy party won a humiliating 33 seats. This began accusations of fraud from the military, which threatened to take action using all available options, and culminated in the coup on Monday morning despite previous (non)denials of it taking place.
A compilation of celebrity reactions can be found below:
Singer Rihanna
my prayers are with you #myanmar! https://t.co/GMYqA5BHM8
- Rihanna (@rihanna) February 2, 2021
K-pop star Jay Park
Prayers to Myanmar and everything thats goin on there 🙏🙏
- JAY BUM PARK (@JAYBUMAOM) February 3, 2021
See what’s going on with the military coup in Myanmar and Alexey Navalny in Russia?
That’s exactly what Trump and his insurrectionist co-conspirators were planning for January 6th.
- Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) February 3, 2021
THANK GOD TRUMP SUCKS BIGLY AT INSURRECTIONS OR THIS WOULD BE US RIGHT NOW!🤦🏻♂️
Elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested & now being detained.
Myanmar's military seized power in a Coup & declared a state of emergency, after falsely claiming fraud in its democratic elections. pic.twitter.com/mVQ0WlSTHG
- Kirk Acevedo🇺🇸 (@kirkacevedo) February 1, 2021
As we all (rightly) turn our attention to the Myanmar coup, let’s remember that the “Nobel Peace Prize” winning Aung San Suu Kyi made a choice to support the military when it was accused of genocide against the Rohingya. Democracy with a side of genocide isn’t actually democracy.
- Ali Velshi (@AliVelshi) February 1, 2021
Fitness trainer unwittingly has the Myanmar coup unfolding behind her! https://t.co/fX2I6irnZz
- Jon Snow (@jonsnowC4) February 2, 2021
Pour out a cold one for all the GOP press secretaries who have to apply extra care and diligence as they type out statements condemning the coup in Myanmar...
“Subverting the will of the people”... no, can’t say that....
“...bogus allegations of voter fraud”....no....
- Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 1, 2021
As a sign of peaceful protest against the coup, Katniss Everdeen's Three Finger Salute from The Hunger Games has also gone viral, being used by everyone from athletes and celebrities to medical workers.
First Thailand, now Myanmar: Asia protesters borrow from 'Hunger Games' https://t.co/gwcHq4Vjjn pic.twitter.com/aus1XQYbKL
- Reuters (@Reuters) February 3, 2021
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10