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The
28-year-old, who goes by the name "Spidey Htoo", recently
returned from Singapore to start a business. But the coronavirus
outbreak set back his plans and now he fears the coup on Feb. 1
has derailed them.
"The coup was a big shock to me," he said.
Spidey Htoo said he wore the superhero costume at protests to
stay out of trouble amid a wave of arrests after the coup.
The United Nations human rights office said on Friday more than
350 people had been arrested in Myanmar since the coup. Suu Kyi
was detained on the first day and protesters demand her release.
Spidey Htoo said his participation in protests had been a
dilemma for his parents. They don't want to speak out, but also
don't want military rule in a country that lived in isolation
under juntas for nearly 50 years until opening up began in 2011.
"Finally, they allowed me to join," he said.
By wearing a costume, he hopes to catch the attention of
onlookers and media, Spidey Htoo said. Authorities cracked down
bloodily on protests in 1988 and 2007, but the latest
demonstrations have often had a lighter tone with people dressed
in a variety of costumes.
"Our protest is going to be completely different from the older
protests... Our ideas and creativity are more advanced than
their tactics. They can't defeat us. We will win." he says.
(Reporting by Reuters staff; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and
Frances Kerry)
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