News
Onto the Green they came to voice their protest
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- Riot police at the scene Pix by Eshan Fernando
People from all walks of life flocked to Galle Face Green yesterday for the largest gathering yet, against the Government.
Artists, students, professionals, were among those who joined the protest from morning with the crowd increasing towards evening.
The crowd consisted of people from different parts of Sri Lanka, with some carrying boards with the location they were from. Injured war veterans, people with visual and auditory impairments also joined the crowd as they chanted “Go Gota Go”, a cry that has reverberated throughout the country over the past few weeks.
The crowd initially converged opposite the Presidential Secretariat and on the main road opposite Galle Face Green. The crowd grew from about 1000 to 20,000 in a matter of hours.
“I’m here representing myself like many of us here who are asking for one thing – the government needs to go,” said Dumidu Tennekoon, a General Manager of an IT Company.
He noted that many industry professionals could no longer work because of the power cuts – especially since most projects were based overseas. “This is my first protest and a lot of people I know that usually wouldn’t step out like this are here today,” he said, adding that this was a “last resort” to change the system. “When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty,” read one of the boards at the protest.
A Sarvodya ambulance was at the scene and some protesters who were fainting from heat exhaustion were attended to while medical personnel stood ready to administer first aid where necessary.
Protesters were seen sharing water and food and some protesters had taken time off work to come and show their solidarity and voice their protests.
Riot squads, military, police stood by with water cannons at hand by Saturday afternoon outside the Presidential Secretariat. About 100 officers were bracing for what they expected to be one of the biggest protests yet after weeks of non-stop demonstrations across the country.
A section of Galle Face Green had been closed off to the public.
Navy Spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva dismissed speculations that this was done to thwart the protest. According to him the area was closed off a year ago due to ongoing constructions for the Galle Face Development Project that has been undertaken by the Civil Engineering Department of the Sri Lanka Navy.
The protest was continuing late into the night.
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