Colombo police fired tear gas at anti-government protesters on Wednesday (July 13) as hundreds descended upon the prime minister’s office, Reuters reports.
Hundreds of protesters, marching right past rows of riot police, surrounded prime minister Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office at around noon (0630 GMT), demanding his immediate resignation.. Riot police fired several rounds of tear gas as protesters climbed over the compound’s fences.
"The prime minister has no right to become the president because he lost his election… He must honour the people’s wishes and resign immediately,” said protester Ajith Kumara, as dozens breached security and entered the office's compound.
Protests against the economic crisis have simmered for months and came to a head last weekend when hundreds of thousands of people took over key government buildings in Colombo, blaming the Rajapaksas and their allies for runaway inflation, corruption and a severe lack of fuel and medicines.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country on Wednesday, hours before he was due to step down.
