News
Street demonstrators harming own cause
View(s):The past few weeks have seen a plethora of street demonstrations and protests organised by trade unions and other groups in Colombo.
Story and pix by Anurada Bandara.
During these protests, demonstrators have taken over main roads causing major traffic blocks and considerable inconvenience to pedestrians.
As demonstrators occupy the main roads in the city, pedestrians and vehicles are forced to share the pavements putting the lives of pedestrians at risk
Asitha Thirimanna, a resident from Rambukkana who works in Colombo, said he had been a regular victim of these street protests which had caused him to miss his regular train on a number of occasions.
He added that whenever protests took place, buses were often diverted and did not stop at the regular bus halts. This meant workers were more often than not forced to walk about a kilometre to reach the station.
An officer attached to the Pettah police station said they usually did not disrupt the protests, unless they caused a major traffic block.
Protesters block the extremely busy road near the Lotus Road Jnc. causing a major traffic build up and inconvenience to ordinary road users.
 Members of the public confront a 3-wheeler which has intruded their space making it impossible for pedestrians to walk along the pavements |  A 3-wheeler driver using the pavement embroiled in an altercation with members of the public |
 Pedestrians are forced onto the main road as vehicles take over the pavements |  Members of the public forced to flee as a few 3-wheeler drivers and motorcyclists who invade the pavements putting the lives of pedestrians at risk |
 Motor cyclists took over this stretch of pavement close to the Colombo Hilton after police closed the road to vehicular traffic to accommodate a demonstration. | |