Thousands of agitators entered the compound hours after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence in Colombo, some were seen floating.
A screengrab shows protesters floating at the residence of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Saturday.
Hours after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence in Colombo, thousands of agitators entered the complex, some were seen swimming in pools.
After storming the President’s official residence in the fort, the protesters calmed down in the President’s swimming pool. pic.twitter.com/jROaa4NDWy
— Newswire (@NewsWireLK) 9 July 2022
While some protesters were seen raising slogans, some were seen making videos.
The president was escorted to a safe place before protesters from across the country got into buses, trains and trucks to express outrage over the government’s failure to save them from economic ruin. The protesters chanted “Going to go home” using a generic abbreviated version of the president’s name.
To keep the situation under control, the police fired tear gas shells. At least 21 people, including two policemen, were injured in the protests.
Sri Lanka has been battling a severe economic crisis for months due to poorly timed tax exemptions, poor investment in projects and COVID-induced sanctions. People have been demanding the President’s resignation since March.
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