Joint Opposition protest fails to gather momentum

Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana

• Dayasiri and Hirunika were seen trying to break the human barricade set up by the police, the police were able to push them away and maintain their chain
• President Ranil Wickremesinghe had issued orders to the Police ahead of yesterday’s protest to exercise non violence but to ensure that no public property was forcefully occupied

By JAMILA HUSAIN

The joint opposition protest which was held in Colombo last afternoon failed to gather momentum with a poor turnout of politicians as well as protesters with more security forces and police being on the ground than the expected number of participants.  

The anti-government protest was organized by several political parties, trade unions, student movements, and civil organizations with the participation of the main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF), and the Young Journalists Association of Sri Lanka (YJASL).  

 The protest which kicked off at around 3.30 p.m. last afternoon outside the Elphinstone Theatre in Maradana saw protesters trickling in, followed by the arrival of SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, SJB members Hirunika Premachandra and Mujibur Rahman.  

As the protesters made their way towards the Technical Junction, they were joined by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and several other SJB Parliamentarians including Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, who were expecting to make a forward march towards Fort.  

However just a little ahead of the Technical Junction, hundreds of police personnel had formed a human barricade with clear orders given not to let any protesters through whilst exercising peace and non-violence.   

Although Dayasiri and Hirunika were seen trying to break the human barricade set up by the police, the police were able to push them away and maintain their chain.  
Moments later as the Opposition Leader and other SJB members arrived, protesters were seen forcing them to move forward to break the human barricade and go through. However, moments later, Premadasa was seen moving away from the area much to the anger of some of the protesters who resorted to asking him why he had moved back. Premadasa and other members including Dayasiri Jayasekara were then seen leaving the area amidst severe displeasure by the protesters who questioned them as to why they had attended the protest if they could not move forward.  

Even by evening, police maintained the human barricade and despite minor scuffles by the protesters who were attempting to break through, they were able to maintain the chain. As the protesters then started vacating the area, police were able to clear the roads leading towards Fort by late evening, resulting in the protest ending peacefully.  

Police sources confirmed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe had issued orders to the Police ahead of yesterday’s protest to exercise non violence but to ensure that no public property was forcefully occupied by the protesters.    

Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana