Protesters broke into the presidential residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The local TV reports. Shortly before, defense sources had announced that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had fled the palace.
President Rajapaksa “was escorted to a safe place”: a Defense source later made known, stating that he “is still the president and is protected by a military unit”. Meanwhile, the prime minister has called an emergency government meeting, official sources said. Shortly after news of the escape spread, local TVs showed hundreds of people climbing over the gates of the presidential residence in Colombo, and then occupying the palace.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took part in a demonstration calling for the resignation of Rajapaksa, held responsible for the severe economic crisis affecting the country, with record inflation and shortages of fuel, electricity and food. Yesterday the security forces had enacted a curfew to discourage demonstrators, but the ban on going out was lifted after protests from opposition parties, human rights organizations and the judiciary, which threatened action against the police chief.
Source: Ansa
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