A Thai student protester was arrested in Bangkok on Friday for calling Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing a “murderer,” as well as for criticizing the Thai government over its support for the visiting leader during the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit. Hlaing’s visit to the Thai capital came days after Myanmar was hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, in which three thousand people have been confirmed dead.

The student protester held a banner while shouting, “Thailand does not welcome the murderous dictator Min Aung Hlaing” at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, where the sixth BIMSTEC summit was being held. He also condemned Thai prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, for shaking hands with the Myanmar junta leader. The student was immediately escorted away from the hotel lobby by several security staff.

Hlaing’s presence at the BIMSTEC Summit was also criticized by international rights groups and domestic opposition in Myanmar. The Justice for Myanmar group on Thursday condemned the Thai government and the BIMSTEC for inviting Hlaing to the summit and for being complicit in the junta’s crimes. The National Unity Government (NUG) of Myanmar issued a statement the same day condemning the inclusion of Hlaing in the meeting and claiming that he “lacks any legitimacy to represent Myanmar.”

Hlaing had ruled Myanmar since seizing power in 2021 from the democratically elected Myanmar government during a military coup d’état and detained civilian leaders, including the Nobel Prize laureate Aung  San Suu Kyi. He has been accused of crimes against humanity for systematically persecuting political dissidents during his crackdown against protests. In November, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed an application for an arrest warrant against him over the deportation and persecution of the Rohingya minority group in Myanmar.

The protestor has been reportedly released since the incident.