Why do protesters as far apart as Bangkok, Cairo and Kiev carry banners and signs written in English?
Many street demonstrators know that their protest marches will be filmed by international news media, and watched by millions around the world who cannot read Thai, Arabic or Ukrainian. So the logical way of explaining their political demands is by writing their signs in English - the international language of political protest. On top of that, protesting in English is cool - linking the protesters to the Anglo-Saxon democracies.
But before you get your paintbrush out and set down your demands, maybe it's a good idea to check the spelling first - see above!
