BANGKOK, (Reuters) – On Sunday thousands of Thais marched through Bangkok demanding that the monarchy be reformated. They defied a court order that said such demands were a veiled effort to topple the institution.

Protests by youth that started last year calling for the resignation of Prayuth Chau-ocha (66), a former leader in coup, are now the largest threat to the monarchy. The monarchy is constitutionally enshrined in “revered religion”.

Protesters marched in front of rows of riot officers, holding placards reading “No absolute monarchy” or “Reform not abolition”

A protester stated that “The increased power of the King in the recent years is pulling Thailand away to democracy and back into absolute monarchy,” after reaching the German Embassy in Bangkok.

“This fight is to insist that the country be run by an equal system.”

In October 2013, protesters marched up to Germany’s embassy to demand that Germany investigate King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s state business. He spends a lot of time in Thailand.

Peeyawith Ploysuwan (25) stated that “reform is not synonymous with abolishment.” You (authorities), only desire to accomplish the things that you want and view people who have opposing views as evil. How can society move forward if this continues?

Protests broke long-standing taboos that Thailand’s lesemajeste law, which imposes prison terms up to 15 years on anyone found guilty of insulting the monarchy, has established.

According to the records of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (the group that compiles the data), at least 157 persons have been accused under Thai law since protests started last year.

Sunday’s demonstration was in protest of the Constitutional Court ruling last week, that the call to reform the monarchy made by three protest leaders last August was illegal and intended to overthrow the institution.

A police spokesperson said that three protesters were injured on Sunday. He added that investigations were ongoing.