A protest is took that near the Pagiriwatta Road in Mirihana, blocking the access road to the President’s residence yesterday.
They are demanding solutions to the problems in the country including electricity, gas and diesel.Later Tear gas has been fired at a protest near the President’s official residence.
After the incident government took action to imposed curfew in Colombo North, Colombo South, Colombo Central, Nugegoda, Kelaniya and Mount Lavinia until further notice, and lifted the curfew at 5 am today.
Presidential Media Unit report on the incident
The statement issued by the Presidential Media Unit regarding the incident that took place in the Nugegoda area last night is as follows. —–
The extremist group behind riotous behaviour.
It is revealed that Organized extremists were among the protesters near the Jubilee Post in Nugegoda and behaved in a riotous manner and caused a violent situation.
The group, carrying iron clubs, clubs and sticks, had provoked the protesters and marched towards the President’s residence in Mirihana Pangiriwatta, causing a riot.
Many of those involved in the violence have been arrested and many have been identified as organized extremists.
They have spearheaded the campaign calling for an Arab Spring in Sri Lanka.
Detainees have revealed that the riot was carried out using social media anonymously to provoke the people and destabilize the country.
Presidential Media Unit
Who was injured yesterday during the conflict at Mirihana
Police have arrested 54 people in connection with the riots that took place in the Nugegoda area last night.
Five officers, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police, were injured in the incident and two of them were discharged from the hospital this morning.
Also, Daily Mirror staff photographers Nisal Badge and Waruna Wanniarachchi who were covering the protest were injured in the incident.
Nisal was hit in the head with a stone and videos were circulating of people carrying him while Varuna was seriously injured and bleeding from his head. Staff photographer Nisal said he was hit by a rock while taking pictures of the clash. “I was able to hide in a garden on the side of Pangiriwatta Road to avoid further injuries,” he said.
Below is the video of the injury
How vehicles burned during the Mirihana conflict
Police used tear gas and high-pressure water cannons to control it.
As a result, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces.
Pictures of a protester setting fire to a bus during a protest are being shared on social media. Several vehicles, including a bus, were destroyed in the fire.
Meanwhile, protesters also set fire to several vehicles. Here are some pictures of the place.
Where was the president at the time?
Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says that President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was as patient as possible during the Mirihana incident in Nugegoda yesterday (31).
Addressing a special media briefing held at the Presidential Media Center, the Minister said that the President had instructed the police or the army not to allow peaceful protesters to protest.
However, the protest continued peacefully until around 1 and 2 in the morning, after which the protesters proceeded to destroy private and state property, the minister said.
The minister said that in the end, the president had to use minimal force to disperse the protesters.
Accordingly, the protesters were able to control the protest within half an hour by using minimal force to disperse them, the Minister said.
What happened after the Mirihana conflict?
Police say the CID is investigating the Mirihana protest. At least 54 people have been arrested in connection with last night’s protest in the Mirihana area in Nugegoda.
Among those arrested was a woman. Two police and army buses, a jeep, a three-wheeler and two motorcycles were damaged during the protest and five police officers were injured in the incident, a police spokesman said.
Meanwhile the Human Rights Commission says that protesters in the Mirihana area in Nugegoda cannot be prosecuted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
