Amid crisis, Colombo terms protesters ‘organised extremists’

Agitators outside President’s house were attempting an ‘Arab Spring’, says statement 

COLOMBO

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has blamed “organised extremists” for staging a large protest outside his private residence on Thursday night, as public anger mounts over his government’s handling of the economic crisis gripping Sri Lanka.

Over 50 suspects have been arrested, police said. Nightlong curfews were imposed in the area and other select neighbourhoods, amid reports of angry citizens blocking roads and demanding that the government step down.

The President’s Media Division said a group, “carrying iron bars, clubs and sticks” had “provoked the protesters”, and “marched towards” the President’s residence, “causing a riot”. 

“Many of those involved in this violent incident have been arrested and many have been identified as organised extremists. They had led the protest shouting the slogans ‘let’s create an Arab Spring in this country’,” its statement said.  

In addition to opposition parties, citizens’ groups in Sri Lanka have been holding independent protests in several areas for nearly a month against the government that they hold responsible for the country’s rapidly deteriorating economic condition. Fuel, food, and medicines are in short supply, while the public are facing long power outages — upto 13 hours on Thursday — disrupting daily life.

Thursday’s protest began peacefully, with dozens of citizens silently gathering at the venue, holding anti-government posters, and chanting slogans asking Mr. Rajapaksa to “go home”. Later, riot police deployed to the area used tear gas and water cannons, as authorities accused some protestors of “turning violent”.