VENDORS in Battambang province looked on as around 100 police and military police officers tore down their stalls at Psar Snoeng in Banon district on Wednesday, carrying out a demolition that was postponed on Tuesday as vendors protested.

Bun Thet, one of the vendors, said they had been forced from the market at around 5am.

“Police tried to disperse the vendors and not allow us to meet together, so we carried out our vegetables and fish to be kept at some villagers’ houses, and we were just crying,” he said. “They threatened us that anyone who wanted to fight against them would be arrested and taken to prison.”

Authorities have said that the market needs to be closed for a highway upgrade, and have suggested that vendors move to a new privately owned market.

District Governor Sreng Sreang said the vendors had been given plenty of notice, pointing out that two eviction deadlines had already passed.

“We have a new market for them to do business in, and we need this market land,” he said.