Sri Lankan protesters enter presidential palace

Holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets, protesters broke into the president’s palace, the sea-front presidential secretariat, and the finance ministry, which has been the site of a sit-in protest for months.

Security forces were unable to hold back the demonstrator, as they chanted slogans asking President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign.

Rajapaksa fled his official residence shortly before protesters stormed the compound, Sri Lankan media reported.

According to local sources, at least 34 people including two police officers were injured as protesters tried to enter the residence.

In March, spontaneous and organized protests by both political parties and non-partisan groups over the government's mishandling of the economy were reported from several areas. Several protests were staged by the political opposition demanding the current administration to solve the financial crisis and to immediately resign in wake of the wider economic crisis.

Tens of thousands of supporters of the opposition party, the United People's Force led by Sajith Premadasa carried out protests on 16 March, in front of the President's office demanding that the president quit.

On 30 March, when Namal Rajapaksa arrived for the opening ceremony of a sports ground in Bandarawela, angry locals blocked the road demanding fuel which resulted in Namal Rajapaksa avoiding the area and the grounds being opened by the mayor instead.

On 31 March, a large group gathered around the residence of Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Mirihana to protest against the power cuts that had reached over 12-hours a day.

The protest was initially spontaneous peaceful protest by citizens until the police attacked the protestors with tear gas and water cannons and the protestors burned a bus carrying riot control troops. The government declared a curfew in Colombo.

Simultaneous protests were also reported on the Kandy-Colombo Road which was blocked by the protesters. The government accused the protesters of being members of an extremist group and began to arrest them. Candle light protests were also continuing in several areas while car horn-tooting protests were also reported.

In May 2022, the Rajapaksa family home was set on fire by protestors. Amidst the protests, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister in May 2022, but Gotabaya Rajapaksa refused to resign from the position of President and the protests continued. (ILKHA)