On 28 and 29 March there were large - scale popular demonstrations in favour of Sihanouk in several provincial cities .
Lon Nol 's forces suppressed demonstrations with great brutality , causing several hundred deaths .
On 28 and 29 March there were large - scale popular demonstrations in favour of Sihanouk in several provincial cities , but Lon Nol 's forces suppressed them with great brutality , causing several hundred deaths .