Sri Lanka is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its history. It is faced with a huge shortage of foreign exchange, which does not allow it to import sufficient quantities of food, fuel, medicine and other essential goods
The President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksafled his official residence in Colombo today minutes before thousands of protesters stormed it, in one of the largest anti-government demonstrations in recent months in the country.
Some protesters, carrying Sri Lankan flags and wearing helmets, stormed the residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, according to images broadcast by local television station NewsFirst.
As reported by the private television network Sirasa TV, a crowd of protesters has stormed the presidential palace, which until now was strictly guarded.
A Defense source said Rajapaksa remains Sri Lanka’s president and has been moved to a secure location, where he is being protected by the military.
Take a look at the crazy lines at the gas pumps in Sri Lanka: pic.twitter.com/mJSOgRl4pO
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) July 8, 2022
Earlier, thousands of people had flocked to the Colombo district where the government buildings are located, chanting slogans against the president and breaking down several police barricades until they reached his residence.
Police fired into the air but were unable to stop the angry crowd from surrounding the presidential palace, an eyewitness said.
Sri Lanka is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its history. It is faced with a huge shortage of foreign exchange, which does not allow it to import sufficient quantities of food, fuel, medicine and other necessary goods.
Protesters in Sri Lanka have reportedly stormed the Presidential Palace.
President apparently fled the Palace before. pic.twitter.com/fZDIWNY0F1— Aldin 🇧🇦 (@tinso_ww) July 9, 2022
The island of 22 million inhabitantsnear India, has been living for months at the rate of daily power outages, endless queues at petrol stations, food rationing, record inflation which has reached 70%.
Peaceful protests for several weeks have centered on the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whom many citizens, even as his former supporters, accuse of mismanagement.
After the outbreak of the protests, all members of the Rajapaksa family who participated in the government resigned, with the exception of the country’s president.
#BREAKING: Protesters storm inside residence of Srilanka President. Public anger rises. President @GotabayaR has fled his residence. pic.twitter.com/S8I9ExWbJ8
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 9, 2022
Gotabaya Rajapaksa has ignored calls to step down and in May, after the resignation of his prime minister and brother Mahinda, he appointed his rival Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister.
Police imposed a curfew in and around Colombo late on Friday after thousands of students who marched on Rajapaksa’s home were met with tear gas by riot police.
The police chief, who earlier this week had indicated that the authorities would not stand in the way of the peaceful protests, said in a statement today that the curfew would be lifted by 08:00 in the morning.
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