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Protesters splatter blood on Thai PM's home

A protester holds blood in a plastic bag to be thrown during a protest near Thailand PM's Abhisit Vejjajiva's residence.
A protester holds blood in a plastic bag to be thrown during a protest near Thailand PM's Abhisit Vejjajiva's residence.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Anti-government protesters splatter blood on gates of PM's residence
  • 1,500 police officers outside Abhisit's residence, but PM out of capital
  • Thousands of "red shirts" hold out forearms to give blood for message
  • Protesters are supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Anti-government protesters broke through a heavy police cordon Wednesday and splattered blood on the gates of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's residence.

Abhisit, who is staying at the army's 11th Infantry headquarters, was out of the capital, visiting drought-hit areas of Thailand at the time of the attack.

Authorities had planted about 1,500 police officers outside Abhisit's residence. The protesters nonetheless penetrated the barricades and flung bags of blood over the walls of the compound.

There were no immediate reports of violence.

A day earlier, demonstrators poured a small amount of blood at government headquarters in Bangkok.

Cleaning up the red mess

The "red shirts" -- so named for their clothing -- are collecting 1,000 liters of their own blood every day to splatter on various official buildings.

"Red shirts" rally in Bangkok: Share your photos

Video: Thai protesters prepare blood
Video: Blood spill protest thwarted
Video: PM rejects 'Red Shirt' demand
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The gesture is the latest move by the anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, or UDD, to force Abhisit to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Abhisit repeatedly has said that he will listen to the protesters, but will not accede to their demands.

What are the protests about?

The anti-government demonstrations began Friday. By Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters had poured into the center of Bangkok.

The rallies have been largely peaceful. Abhisit has said his government will not use force to quell the protests.

The protesters are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006. Thaksin was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full term and remains hugely popular.

He fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated.

The protesters say Abhisit was not democratically elected and have demanded that he call elections.

Since Thaksin's ouster, Thailand has endured widespread political unrest that has pitted Thaksin loyalists against Abhisit supporters. Two people were killed and at least 135 wounded in riots in April when protesters clashed with demonstrators supporting the government.

CNN's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.