Court order issued preventing protest marches during Independence Day

The Colombo Magistrate's Court on Friday issued an order preventing any protest march or any person from entering Galle Face and nearby areas.

Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage's order also prevents 27 individuals including General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union Joseph Stalin and Frontline Socialist Party activist Duminda Nagamuwa from obstructing roads towards Galle Face, 

The police said that the order was issued to prevent any group or persons from disrupting the 75^th Independence Day celebrations.

A heavy security cordon has been laid around Galle Face where the Independence Day celebrations are due to take place tomorrow. Heavily armed military and police personnel continue to patrol the area. 

Meanwhile the Maligakanda Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrema issued a separate ordered preventing desmotrations around the Maradana area.

However the order said that peaceful protests have not been banned.

The order said that any attempt to have protest marches will end the status of  a peaceful protest.

Already a group of about 30 protesters are seated around the Elphinstone theater at Maradean junction while a heavy armed guard has been placed around them preventing the group leaving or any persons joining them.