Thai Court Acquits 2008 Airport Protesters, Deems Actions Constitutionally Protected

The acquittal of nearly 70 individuals linked to the 'Yellow Shirt' protests marks a significant ruling, highlighting the peaceful nature of their 2008 demonstrations.

• A Thai court has acquitted nearly 70 individuals involved in the 2008 protests that shut down Bangkok's airports, ruling their actions were constitutionally protected.
• The protests, led by the 'Yellow Shirt' movement, opposed a government allied with ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, demanding its resignation.
• Despite being previously indicted on serious charges including rebellion and terrorism, the court found the protests to be peaceful and the protesters unarmed.
• The 2008 protests, which lasted about 10 days, resulted in the occupation of two major airports and disrupted hundreds of thousands of tourists.
• In 2011, the leaders of the protests were ordered to pay damages to the state airport authority, leading to bankruptcy and asset seizure for some.

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