People’s Alliance for Democracy leaders Somsak Kosaisuk, left, and Sondhi Limthongkul yesterday condemn attacks at Central World Plaza on ‘innocent’ anti-Thaksin demonstrators as ‘brutal’.

PAD leaders yesterday gave the police a week to find and prosecute those allegedly involved in the recent crowd violence.

Several anti-Thaksin demonstrators were set upon and injured in separate incidents on Saturday and Monday.

The PAD vowed to stage a major anti-government protest if nothing was done.

Alliance leader Sondhi Limthongkul claimed the assailants were linked to the Thai Rak Thai Party - and singled out politician and spokesman Sita Divari.

Sondhi also claimed some of those involved in the recent scuffles had been involved in hostile scenes outside the Criminal Court after it convicted and sentenced three former Election Commissioners.

He was convinced several of the alleged assailants were also among a bad-tempered crowd that barricaded the offices of the Kom Chad Luek newspaper earlier this year.

"I have pictorial evidence to support [the claim] police officers collaborated with thugs. Some of these officers acted like thugs themselves," Sondhi said.

A senior police officer had been seen talking to some of the people who attacked anti-Thaksin protesters, he said.

And one man in civilian clothes was wearing police identification while conversing with the alleged thugs, he claimed.

Sondhi said vocal anti-Thaksin protesters had a constitutional right to demonstrate.

Another PAD leader Pibhop Thongchai denied the alliance was behind the anti-Thaksin demonstrations.

He said Thaksin had shown no concern for the demonstrators' welfare in spite of clear evidence they were attacked by his supporters and his security detail.

PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said thugs and their political masters were determined to suppress opponents.

Thaksin should not fear being assassinated because he was already morally dead, he said.