(3.3) Violent Oppression and Public Participation While the terrorist military is cracking down on protesters using a variety of wicked methods, flash mob demonstrations are organized to inform the international community that the terrorist/brutal military has no right to rule and to adjure the public. It has been over a year since an illegal coup has taken place, and the military has committed violent arrests, torture, killings, and other injustices against the people by using various means to organize protests. For the sake of confusing and dividing the public and the protesters, the military has committed unlawful acts including arbitrary arrests, torture during interrogations, and destruction of public property along the streets, in the neighborhood, and in communities where the protesters have organised flash mobs. “When a strike is organised in front of us, those guys (the junta forces) come to this place and cause trouble for the people. They arrive at midnight to check household registrations and terrorize, beat, and melee the residents. This is the message they wish to convey to the public. There is a message from the dictators that they must do it to the public as retaliation for these strikes. They want to form the idea that they won’t need to do such acts if we don’t organize strikes,” a strike committee member commented. Public participation in anti-junta protests consists of two components: people’s support and people’s involvement. People’s support for the anti-dictatorship revolution has never waned since the coup in February 2021. People’s involvement in flash mobs, however, has weakened because of the aforementioned terror acts by the military. “The military has caused a great deal of division between the public and us, such as the arson attack on Hledan market. With a large number of such divisions, flash mob protesters face the challenge that people are afraid of our actions every day. People start to think, “If we engage in this (flash mob protest), clap, chant the mottos, or encourage here, then the military will perform cruel acts against us.” I saw that they started to think violence happened to them due to our strikes. Consequently, the people’s support for our flash mobs has dropped drastically”, a youth participating in current anti-junta flash mobs explained. People welcomed the flash mobs by clapping, encouraging and helping them in the early stages of their emergence in several townships. However, the number of people taking part in flash mobs dramatically declined later due to military oppression. Regarding this fact, another member of a strike committee also highlights the case of Hledan market and changes related to the decline of people’s involvement in strikes as follows; “The military changed its tactics a little in the transition of 2021-2022. If they cannot arrest or oppress protesters, they tend to oppress the protest areas. A protest erupted in the Hledan 50-foot market as an example. The market was set on fire at night and property was destroyed. Thus, flash mobs were organized in three to five different locations in Yangon at the beginning of 2022. The public supports them but is fearful of showing their support. Afterward, people avoided flash mobs when we organized them. Let’s leave it at that ....... If there is a trishaw driver in the area. His only action is to move away from the mob. In the case of a vendor, he or she collects their merchandise and leaves. This is more likely a result of fear than a lack of support. In their minds, they support them. However, they are terrified to attend and participate in protests. I found that change. Support does not weaken over time. People got scared.” 20