Thai anarchists defied rising Covid-19 cases and a ban on mass gatherings as they protested against the establishment and clashed with police on Sunday evening (August 1).

Officers opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas on protesters in the capital Bangkok injuring dozens of demonstrators – prompting accusations of police brutality.

The government has banned mass gatherings and ordered the closure of businesses to curb the surge of coronavirus cases and warned those attending were breaking the law.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Colonel Kritsana Pattanacharoen said the demonstrators violated the emergency decree and public health measures, which lead to riot police ‘controlling’ the crowd.

Thailand has recorded 604,421 Covid-19 cases and 5,168 deaths as of August 2 – with cases rising dramatically throughout this month.