"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1," which was filmed in the Atlanta area and will be released Friday, this week was pulled from some Thailand theaters after reports of citizens adopting the film's three-finger salute to protest the country's prime minister.
The Apex Group said it replaced "Mockingjay" with "Midnight in Paris" at its cinemas to avoid being used for "political activism" -- and not because of government pressure. Apex said it discovered that 160 tickets to the film's premiere were being offered by an anti-government group in an effort called “Raise Three Fingers, Bring Popcorn and Go to Theatre.”
Some in the country have for months mimicked the films' salute -- a rebel gesture meant to provoke an authoritarian oligarchy -- in protest of military leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who in May installed himself as prime minister following a junta.
Variety reports, "Three people, including two students were arrested on Tuesday for using the film's three-finger salute during a speech by General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the military-appointed prime minister, in the northern town of Khon Kaen."
"Anyone else want to protest? Come quickly," the prime minister reportedly said. "Then I can continue with my speech."
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