Loving Kindness Vs Brutality

Here is a moving eyewitness account from Shwedagon Pagoda in Burma where one of the monks died yesterday (Mizzima.com):

As the authorities refused to open the eastern gate of Shwedagon pagoda, the monks stood in front of the gate and recited Metta Sutta (Buddhist word for loving kindness). Then the soldiers charged the monks with batons and started beating and kicking the monks. We heard that an elderly monk died because of the beating. I saw one monk beaten severely. I guess that he is the same monk who is reported to have died. The monk must be over 80 years old. The monks were peacefully demanding opening pf the gate and the soldiers just charged into them and s arrested five people. I heard that two of the monks who were arrested were forced to take off their robes. Their robes were burnt. And the police also stamped on the Sasanah flag (religious flag). In all about 12 monks and civilians were injured. The police fired teargas from four directions. And after about three hours the people dispersed.