Denying Responsibility for Violence
As discussed above, the monks and laypeople involved with the 969
movement consistently deny any responsibility for the violence that has
been carried out in its name or in connection with its anti-Muslim pro-
paganda. They insist that the movement’s purpose is merely to defend
Buddhism, and attribute any related evidence (such as the fact that
“969” was found spray-painted on the walls of destroyed buildings in
the town of Meikhtila) to the fact that “others” outside of their control
are defaming an otherwise holy symbol