NONTHABURI – In an apparent case of mistaken identity, police on Wednesday morning raided a sports pub on Chaeng Wattana Road and detained 34 people who were dressed in red shirts and yelling what police believed to be anti-government slogans.
The incident began when concerned residents living near the Pitch Perfect Pub, a sports bar near the Chaeng Wattana pier, notified district police around 1:45 a.m. of a gathering of Red Shirts. According to police, the residents were frightened that the Red Shirts appeared to be drinking heavily and in an agitated state.
Under the current state of emergency in Bangkok, gatherings of more than five people are illegal. Pol Cpt Maneerapon Danggurat raided the pub with a squadron of 40 heavily armed officers in riot gear. “I felt that I had no choice but to prepare for the worst,” Maneerapon explained. “We had been told that the Red Shirts had been shouting about ‘holding arsenal.’ We assumed they had weapons.”
According to witnesses inside the pub, the police knocked down the door at about 3:00 AM and stormed the crowd inside. Despite protests that they were only watching a football game, the patrons were detained. Maneerapon admitted that the gathering appeared, on closer inspection, to be non-political. However, the fact that supporters of both teams were dressed in red shirts aroused his suspicions. “Normally a football game should have people in two colors, like blue and green,” he said. “All red doesn’t look right to me.”
The only bar patron not dressed in red was Prapas Ruengthip, who was wearing the yellow Arsenal away kit. He was released immediately through the back door.
All others were held until their IDs could be recorded. Police also requested a full translation of the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” to make sure it contained no subversive lyrics.
At around 3:35 a.m. the police left, but not before shutting down the bar in accordance with alcohol-sales laws. Most patrons stayed to watch the remainder of the match, which ended Liverpool 4 – 4 Arsenal.
