With the surprise resignation of Sein Lwin on August 12, the protests only paused for a few days before resuming again, with increased violence on all sides as the Burmese people fought for their rights, and the regime stepped up its repression. It was towards the end of August when Aung San Suu Kyi first entered the political arena as she addressed the masses of people gathered by Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon. She became a symbol of democracy and freedom to not only the Burmese, but to the rest of the world. When congress met in September, 75% of the delegates voted for a multi-party system, but the BSPP rejected any changes. The rioting continued, and members of the army and police forces began to side with the protesters. Finally, on September 18, 1988, the Burmese military again took power of the government and quickly suppressed the protests using extremely violent measures. Led by General Saw Maung, the 1974 constitution was repealed and martial law was instituted with the establishment of the “State Law and Order Restoration Council.”