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| Burma protesters defy crackdown | Burma protesters defy crackdown |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Up to 10,000 Burmese Buddhist monks and civilians have defied police tear gas and baton charges to continue protests in Rangoon against the military rulers. | Up to 10,000 Burmese Buddhist monks and civilians have defied police tear gas and baton charges to continue protests in Rangoon against the military rulers. |
| At least one monk was reportedly killed and witnesses spoke of monks' shaved heads stained with blood at the Shwedagon pagoda as police charged. | |
| Security forces reportedly surrounded six monasteries to prevent more monks joining the ninth day of protests. | |
| Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has called emergency talks for 1900GMT. | Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has called emergency talks for 1900GMT. |
| Earlier, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for talks with a view to sending an envoy to the country. He vowed there would be "no impunity" for human rights violators. | Earlier, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for talks with a view to sending an envoy to the country. He vowed there would be "no impunity" for human rights violators. |
| 'Entirely peaceful' | 'Entirely peaceful' |
| This is a battle of wills between Burma's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monk-hood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, reports. | This is a battle of wills between Burma's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monk-hood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, reports. |
| Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map | Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map |
| Hospital sources in Rangoon told the BBC that at least one monk had been killed and that two others were in intensive care. | Hospital sources in Rangoon told the BBC that at least one monk had been killed and that two others were in intensive care. |
| The monks were beaten with rifle butts. Taxi drivers transported the injured to nearby medical facilities, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. | |
| Other reports differed on the number killed - a monastery official told Reuters news agency two monks had died while Burmese officials told AFP three monks had been killed. | |
| The British ambassador to Burma, Mark Canning, told the BBC that people had shown their determination to demonstrate, despite a number of them being severely beaten. | The British ambassador to Burma, Mark Canning, told the BBC that people had shown their determination to demonstrate, despite a number of them being severely beaten. |
| He said at one point there were almost 10,000 people outside the embassy. | He said at one point there were almost 10,000 people outside the embassy. |
| "There was a nucleus of perhaps 1,000 monks with probably 8,000 or 9,000 civilians - many women, many students. | "There was a nucleus of perhaps 1,000 monks with probably 8,000 or 9,000 civilians - many women, many students. |
| The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts. The monks defiantly did not fight back BBC News website reader Accounts from Burma Burma's saffron army In quotes: Global reaction | |
| "They have marched in big columns throughout various areas of the city. They were entirely peaceful," he said. | "They have marched in big columns throughout various areas of the city. They were entirely peaceful," he said. |
| A statement read out on Burmese television said the authorities were handling the situation "most softly to avoid incidents desired by destructive elements while protecting the people". | A statement read out on Burmese television said the authorities were handling the situation "most softly to avoid incidents desired by destructive elements while protecting the people". |
| Large demonstrations also took place in the cities of Mandalay and Sitwei, but the security forces there reportedly did little to prevent them. | |
| Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. | Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. |
| 'Human shield' | 'Human shield' |
| A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government, which has banned gatherings of five people or more and imposed a night-time curfew, has made following the exact course of the protests difficult. | |
| It is known that thousands of monks and opposition activists moved away from Shwedagon pagoda, heading for Sule pagoda in the city centre. | |
| class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7013852.stm">In pictures: Mood darkens class="" href="/1/hi/business/7012367.stm">Burma tops corruption list class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7014702.stm">How will the junta respond? | |
| Some marchers started for the city centre while others headed for the home of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest. | Some marchers started for the city centre while others headed for the home of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest. |
| Reports suggested they were prevented from reaching it but other demonstrators did gather at Sule to jeer soldiers. | |
| Troops responded by firing tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads, sending people running for cover. | Troops responded by firing tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads, sending people running for cover. |
| Monks marching to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly urged civilians not to join them and not to resort to violence. | Monks marching to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly urged civilians not to join them and not to resort to violence. |
| But elsewhere witnesses said civilians were shielding the marching monks by forming a human chain around them. | |
| At Shwedagon pagoda, riot police charged against the protesters, leaving a number of monks and nuns covered in blood, some of them apparently seriously injured. | |
| British embassy sources said at least 100 monks were beaten and arrested. Demonstrators were dragged away in trucks. | |
| One BBC News website reader said: "The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts. The monks defiantly did not fight back." | |
| Another reader said armed and plainclothes police could be seen at key sites across the city. At City Hall, police were holding photos of the monks leading the protests. | |
| Two prominent dissidents, U Win Naing and popular comedian Zaganar, were arrested overnight. | Two prominent dissidents, U Win Naing and popular comedian Zaganar, were arrested overnight. |
| 'Different situation' | 'Different situation' |
| The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. | The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. |
| Aung Naing Oo, a former student leader who was involved in the 1988 uprising and who now lives in exile in the UK, said the junta could not stop the protesters. | |
| "[Then] there was only very little information about the killings. Now with the internet and the whole world watching I think it's a totally different story... monks are highly revered in the country." | |
| US President George W Bush has announced a tightening of US economic sanctions against Burma. | US President George W Bush has announced a tightening of US economic sanctions against Burma. |
| The US already has an arms ban on Burma, a ban on all exports, a ban on new investment and a ban on financial services. | The US already has an arms ban on Burma, a ban on all exports, a ban on new investment and a ban on financial services. |
| Are you in Burma? How have you been affected by the current situation? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. | Are you in Burma? How have you been affected by the current situation? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. |
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