Sri Lanka: A dramatic day at the Prime Minister’s Office

Sri Lankans awoke to the news that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose family had ruled the island with an iron fist for the majority of the last two decades, had fled the country after promising to resign.

His rule has sparked mass protests as people face daily power outages and shortages of essentials such as fuel, food, and medicine.

Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Colombo’s Galle Face Green, one of the main protest sites, and listened to fiery speeches from fellow citizens railing against the government and leaders who had led the country into its worst economic crisis in decades.

Some were relieved to see Mr Rajapaksa go. For others, such as protester GP Nimal, his departure was nothing short of a travesty of justice.

“It bothers us. We’d like to keep him. We’d like our money back! And we want to put all of the Rajapaksas in open prisons where they can work on farms “He stated.

As the day progressed, the crowds at Galle Face Green grew, creating a festive atmosphere.

Then the mood shifted. Something was going on at the prime minister’s office on Flower Road, and word got out.

The unrest erupted after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed acting president by Mr Rajapaksa, who declared a state of emergency and imposed a regional curfew in the capital’s western region. Mr Wickremesinghe has also faced growing public outrage for his role in the crisis, with protesters calling for his resignation as well.

Thousands began to pour into the prime minister’s compound. A military helicopter flew low over their heads, eliciting howls of rage and middle fingers from the crowd.

Angry protesters were attempting to break into the compound’s grounds, while rows of poker-faced soldiers and riot police lined the walls.

A canister of tear gas was occasionally fired at the crowd, but it had little effect.