Hundreds of anti-government protesters held a drive-by rally with cars and motorcycles in Bangkok, Thailand, this afternoon.

Footage shows the crowds moving through the Thai capital city before they converged on the Klongprem Central Prison where protest leaders are being held without bail.

Many of the activists were wearing red shirts and waving red flags, which were adopted as a political symbol following the ousting of former Man City owner Thaksin Shinawatra as Thai Prime Minister in 2006. They were also making the three-finger salute from the Hunger Games, which activists have taken as a symbol of their recent movement calling for democratic reforms.

Thailand’s protest movement erupted last year and stopped briefly at the height of the pandemic fear but has started again in recent weeks.

Organisers claim they are protesting peacefully for democratic reforms but demonstrations have regularly descended into violence, vandalism, attacks on police and chaos.

Government officials say the unrest is being funded by disaffected opposition, exiled politicians and extremist groups who encourage students to join the protests. They claim that social media bots are being used to provoke civil disobedience among impressionable youth – who could then face years in prison for getting involved with the anti-establishment rallies.

Officials have banned gatherings of more than five people and rolled out a 9pm curfew due to the Covid-19 pandemic but the laws have been ignored by the demonstrators.