July 9, 2022, 11:22 AM
July 9, 2022, 11:22 AM
Thousands of protesters in the Sri Lankan city of Colombo stormed the presidential residence on Saturday, demanding the president’s resignation.
Armed with flags and banners, the protesters, enraged at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s handling of the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, forced their way past security forces.
frustrated by inflationrampant, shortage months of fuel, medicine and even food (a situation that has only worsened), protesters began marching towards Rajapaksa’s official residence on Saturday morning.
Police fired shots into the air and fired tear gas that failed to stop the crowd.
Videos posted on social media show protesters entering the palace pool.
https://twitter.com/NewsWireLK/status/1545686446224183296
The majority is reportedly demanding the immediate resignation of the president as well as that of the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe.
It is unlikely that the president was in the building at the time of the assault, as he has reportedly been staying elsewhere in recent months.
The security forces indicate that he has been taken to a safe placeabout which they have not given any information.
According to the office of the prime minister this has agreed to resignto pave the way for a multi-party government.
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