Description

On 31at March, a massive protest happened near President Gotabaya Rajapksha’s private residence in Mirihana, Nugegoda located in the Colombo suburbs. Thousands of protestors gathered at the street leading to the President's residence, demanding the President to resign while chanting the slogan “Go Home Gota.” A tense situation erupted as the protestors tried to break through the Police barriers, and several vehicles were set on fire. At least 9 journalists had been assaulted and injured, and at least 6 had been taken into custody by the Sri lankan police personnel from Sri Lanka’s Special Task Force while they were covering the tense situation of the protest. According to the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union six journalists, namely Avanka kumara and Chatura Deshan from Sirasa TV, Sumedha Sanjeewa Gallage, Pradeep Wickramasinghe and Nissanka Werapitiya, Journalists from Derana TV, and Waruna Wanniarchchi, a reporter for Lankadeepa newspaper have been arrested and assaulted. Also cameras and other equipment of a few journalists and media workers have also been severely damaged. Many of the assaulted journalists said that they were assaulted by the Police, despite them presenting their media identity cards to the Police confirming that they were journalists.