Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence on Saturday shortly before protesters, angered by an unprecedented economic crisis, overran the compound and stormed his nearby office.
Thousands of people had surrounded the leader’s home to demand his resignation, blaming government mismanagement for a downturn that has subjected the island nation’s 22 million people to months of bitter hardship.
As the crowd surged at the gates of the presidential palace, troops guarding the compound fired in the air to hold them back until Rajapaksa was safely removed.
Watch:
Protestors calling for resignation of Sri Lanka's president storm presidential palace in Colombopic.twitter.com/oMQmvNC5B5
— Rezaul Hasan Laskar (@Rezhasan) July 9, 2022
“The president was escorted to safety,” a top defence source told AFP on condition of anonymity. “He is still the president, he is being protected by a military unit.”
Footage broadcast live on social media showed hundreds of people walking through the palace, with some among the boisterous crowd jumping into the compound’s pool for a swim.
Others were seen laughing and lounging in the stately bedrooms of the residence.
Protesters enjoying Sri Lanka’s absconding President’s swimming pool! No dictator should remain in illusion that the power is for ever, and when the end comes, it is always violent and nasty. pic.twitter.com/T3ePbkA0gM
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) July 9, 2022
The colonial-era state mansion is one of Sri Lanka’s key symbols of state power and officials said Rajapaksa’s departure raised questions as to whether he intended to remain in office.
“We are awaiting instructions,” a top civil servant told AFP. “We still don’t know where he is, but we know he is with the Sri Lanka navy and is safe.”
Private broadcasters showed what appeared to be a vehicle convoy belonging to the president at Sri Lanka’s main international airport, but there was no confirmation on whether he had left the island.
Soon after the crowd stormed the presidential palace, Rajapaksa’s nearby office also fell into the hands of protesters.
Security forces attempted to disperse the huge crowds that had mobbed Colombo’s administrative district.
Three people were hospitalised after being shot along with 36 others who suffered breathing difficulties following intense tear gas barrages, a spokeswoman for the main hospital in Colombo said.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who would assume the presidency in the event of Rajapaksa’s resignation, has called an urgent cabinet meeting to discuss a “swift resolution” to the political crisis.
Colombo, Sri Lanka right now. The Presidential Palace has been stormed, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is said to have fled. Unbelievable scenes. Live reports on @IndiaToday: https://t.co/p6JV6FzCub pic.twitter.com/8zlJdBfN2P
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 9, 2022
‘Not a deterrent’
Sri Lanka has suffered through months of food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation after running out of foreign currency to import vital goods.
Thousands of people had poured into the capital for Saturday’s demonstration, the latest outbreak of unrest sparked by the crisis.
Police had withdrawn a curfew issued on Friday after opposition parties, rights activists and the bar association threatened to sue the police chief.
Thousands of anti-government protesters ignored the stay-home order and even forced railway authorities to operate trains to take them to Colombo for Saturday’s rally, officials said.
“The curfew was not a deterrent, in fact it encouraged more people to get on the streets in defiance,” the defence official said.
“Passengers had commandeered trains to reach Colombo.”
Protestors inside President's House #SriLanka #SriLankaProtests pic.twitter.com/c1waEZ5zMM
— Jamila Husain (@Jamz5251) July 9, 2022
The country has nearly exhausted already scarce supplies of petrol, but protesters backed by the main opposition parties hired private buses to travel to the capital.
Demonstrators had for months been camped outside Rajapaksa’s seafront office to demand his resignation over the government’s mismanagement of the crisis.
Soldiers armed with assault rifles were bussed into Colombo on Friday to reinforce police guarding Rajapaksa’s official residence.
Authorities said they had deployed nearly 20,000 troops and police officers for a security operation to protect the president.
Sri Lanka has defaulted on its $51 billion external debt and has been in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund.
Nine people were killed and hundreds wounded when clashes erupted across the country after Rajapaksa loyalists attacked peaceful protesters outside the president’s office in May.
Dramatic visuals from Sri Lanka and protestors take over President's residence in Galle. #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaCrisis #SriLankaEconomicCrisis pic.twitter.com/bkFRtm9fXb
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 9, 2022
I can’t wait for this to happen in the United States. Just to watch ALL THE LITTLE RATS FLEE THE SHIP IN COWARDICE. AND WE ALL KNOW YOU WILL JUST LIKE JANUARY 6TH
Oh I hope this is the site we SOON see at the white house here in the US!! And afterwards it needs to be burned to the ground and rebuilt, due to the evil that’s lived in it’s walls (manchelle and orangabama poopy pants and Jane the freak, etc….)
This will be the most exciting day I will ever witness, watching these weak, small minded COWARDS bring run out of OUR COUNTRY, along with the migrant garbage they drug over with them. Farewell, the curse has now been reversed and it’s coming for you biden admin. Bye bye….
Power to all the free people globally bring down these corrupted demonic Antichrist government agencies and buildings throughout the world they have overstepped their bounds and turn to Satan as their leader time to purge and clean these demons before they destroy humanity and the Earth as they’re planning to do in Satan’s name, keep spreading truth through free speech and do not fear because their time is coming very near
Democrats take note, the citizenry are getting fed up with your bullshit. This could happen here on a much grander scale. If those who voted for your sorry asses ever figure out what you’ve done to our country. Sri Lanka is an island of 22 million people, there are 333 mln people in the US, it would be much worse and no military in the world would be able to stop even 1/4th of that amount. You better begin stepping lightly when you are stomping on the rights and freedoms of good moral citizens to build a cabal of immoral freaks.