Onto the Green they came to voice their protest
People from all walks of life flocked to Galle Face Green yesterday for the largest gathering yet, against the Government. Artists, students, professionals, were among those who joined the protest from morning with the crowd increasing towards evening.
The crowd consisted of people from different parts of Sri Lanka, with some carrying boards with the location they were from. Injured war veterans, people with impairments also joined the crowd that chanted "Go Gota Go", a cry that has reverberated throughout the country over the past few weeks.
The crowd initially converged opposite the Presidential Secretariat and on the main road opposite Galle Face Green. The crowd grew from about 1000 to 20,000 in a matter of hours.
"I'm here representing myself like many of us here who are asking for one thing - the government needs to go," said Dumidu Tennekoon, a General Manager of an IT Company.
He noted that many industry professionals could no longer work because of the power cuts - especially since most projects were based overseas. "This is my first protest and a lot of people I know that usually wouldn't step out like this are here today," he said, adding that this was a "last resort" to change the system.
"My whole family is supporting this campaign and we are going to protest until this President leaves his position," said f ilm dire c t o r S a n j e ewa Seneviratne.
People have to come on to the roads and continue with their protests, said lawyer Achala Seneviratne. She said social media campaigns alone are insufficient and since leaders have misused their authority that the public vote has given them, the public has to teach them a lesson.
"When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty," read one of the boards at the protest while others had slogans such as; "Reverse the 20th Amendment" , "What is the point of an educated population if the decision makers are uneducated" and "We are not extremists."
A Sarvodya ambulance was at the scene while medical personnel stood ready to administer first aid where necessary.
Protesters were seen sharing water and food and some protesters had taken time off work to come and show their solidarity and voice their protests.
Riot squads, military, police stood by with water cannons at hand by Saturday after noon outside the Presidential Secretariat. About 100 officers were bracing for what they expected to be one of the biggest protests yet after weeks of non-stop demonstrations across the country.
Meanwhile a section of Galle Face Green had been closed off to the public.
Navy Spokesman Capt. Indika de Silva dismissed speculation that this was done to thwart the protest. According to him the area had been closed off a year ago due to ongoing constructions for the Galle Face Development Project that had been undertaken by the Civil Engineering Department of the Sri Lanka Navy.
The protests were continuing after midnight.
Other protests also took place in several parts of the country yesterday.