YANGON, Myanmar — Hundreds marched Wednesday to protest steep increases in fuel prices, taking their challenge to Myanmar's military junta to the streets for a second time this week despite the arrest of at least 13 democracy activists who organized the rally.
But the march by about 300 people broke up early after government supporters hit some protesters with sticks and took away eight marchers, witnesses and participants said. The eight were later freed unharmed.
A follow-up protest fizzled when plainclothes officers quickly detained at least three activists.
Myanmar's ruling junta, which has received international criticism for violating the human rights of its citizens, tolerates little public dissent, sometimes sentencing activists to long jail terms for violating security laws. It has held opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace laureate, under house arrest for 11 years.
The demonstration came after the arrests Tuesday of leaders of the group 88 Generation Students. It has been defying the generals by staging activities urging the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners and calling for an end to military rule that began in 1962.
"Though our leaders had been arrested, we will continue with our movement. We will not fear any arrest or threat," Mie Mie, a member of 88 Generation, said during the morning march, which was monitored by plainclothes police.
Marchers encouraged onlookers to join the rare public display of anti-government sentiment, witnesses said on condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal from the junta.
The planned afternoon protest in a busy downtown area near the Sule Pagoda was dispersed when plainclothes security personnel took away least three demonstrators, some with placards.
Before he was detained, 25-year-old activist Than Htut Maung showed reporters bruises that he said he suffered at the hands of junta supporters during the morning march.
State-controlled media reported earlier that 13 leaders of 88 Generation Students — the country's boldest, nonviolent dissident group — had been arrested and could face up to 20 years in prison.
The newspaper New Light of Myanmar said "agitators" in the group were detained Tuesday night for trying to undermine the "stability and security of the nation." On Sunday, they had led some 400 people in another march through Yangon to protest the doubling of fuel prices Aug. 15.
Leaders of 88 Generation Students were at the forefront of a 1988 democracy uprising and were subjected to lengthy prison terms and torture after the rebellion was brutally suppressed by the military.
The 1988 unrest was preceded by public protests over rising rice prices, a sudden government declaration that made most currency invalid, and other economic hardships.
Those arrested Tuesday included Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, two of the most prominent activists, New Light of Myanmar said. Min Ko Naing spent 16 years in prison despite international calls for his release and numerous awards for his nonviolent activism for democracy.
"Their agitation to cause civil unrest was aimed at undermining peace and security of the state and disrupting the ongoing National Convention," the newspaper said, adding that such activity violated a 1996 law that mandates prison terms of up to 20 years.
Organized by the junta, the National Convention is drafting guidelines for a constitution as part of a so-called seven-step roadmap to democracy in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma. Critics call the process a sham.
The arrests drew condemnation abroad. "Those detained, and their colleagues, have exercised their right to peaceful protest at the harsh economic burdens being heaped on the long-suffering Burmese people," Britain's Foreign Office said.
A Washington-based activist group, the U.S. Campaign for Burma, said five university students and three members of another activist group were also arrested in separate pre-march sweeps by authorities. State media did not report those arrests.