Myanmar troops occupied key Buddhist monasteries Friday to confine monks who have spearheaded protests against 45 years of military rule, raising concerns they may be preparing to intensify a crackdown that has killed at least 10 people.

Though tens of thousands have taken to the streets in recent days, soldiers and riot police moved quickly to disperse a crowd of just 300 that gathered in the country's largest city, Yangon, sealing the neighborhood and sending them fleeing.

No one was detained and no shots were fired, witnesses said. Also on Friday, witnesses said that Myanmar's rulers appear to have cut public Internet access.