Univ students federation protest march reaches Galle Face demanding govt to resign

Colombo: The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) protest march reached Galle Face in the capital city of Colombo on Sunday evening.

The protest initially gathered near the Prime Minister's residence in Wijerama Road, demanding the President and his government resign, Colombo Gazette reported.

Speaking in Galle Face, IUSF Convenor Wasantha Kumara Mudalige said that they will remove President Gotabaya Rajapaksa if he does not step down.

The convener noted that the protest march continued despite the barricades placed around Galle Face, reported Colombo Gazette.

Mudalige said that removing the barricades is no difficult task but the main focus is to remove the President and his Government.

Earlier, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had expressed their concern over the barricading of some roads leading to Galle Face in a statement.

According to the statement, BASL noted the escalation of the situation in the vicinity of the protest at Galle Face as a result of the heavy deployment of police personnel and the barricading of some of the roads leading to Galle Face, as reported by Colombo Gazette.

BASL called upon the Sri Lankan Government, the Inspector General of Police and all police officers and the armed forces to ensure the safety of the protesters and their freedom of movement.

"They are duty-bound to ensure the safety of the protesters and the public and the right of the people to dissent in a peaceful manner and also the freedom of movement of the citizen," the BASL said.

The BASL warned that any violence that took place from whatever quarter then it will have serious repercussions for the country. Mass protests over economic mismanagement escalated in early April, prompting the president to declare a state of emergency on April 1.

Sri Lanka has been gripped by an economic crisis considered the worst since the country gained independence in 1948. Due to energy shortages, some parts of Sri Lanka have rolling blackouts. Sri Lanka's foreign debt is estimated at USD 51 billion.