Protesters pour blood outside Thai PM office

Protesters in Thailand have poured blood that they donated outside the front gate of the government's headquarters in Bangkok.


The move by "Red Shirt" demonstrators was supposed to represent a symbolic sacrifice to press their demands for new elections.


Thousands of campaigners formed long lines to donate their blood to the cause. Protest leaders vowed to collect one million cubic centimetres worth.


A few teaspoons of blood were drawn from the veins of each volunteer and then transferred into dozens of large plastic water jugs that were passed overhead through the crowd of cheering protesters before being delivered to Government House, the prime minister's office.


Police allowed protest leaders to approach the white iron front gate and pour out the blood, which oozed under the gate as national television broadcast the images live.


Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has not entered his office at Government House since the protests started on Friday.