Viral Photo Shows Sri Lankan Protesters Watching Their Own Demonstration On Live TV In President's Home

Read Time:1 Minute, 54 Second

Sri Lankan Army chief General Shavendra Silva has sought people’s support to maintain peace as the country grapples with the unprecedented crisis.

Protesters in Sri Lanka have taken charge of every nook and corner of the President and Prime Minister’s residence in Colombo. After videos and photos of them working out at the gym, swimming in the President’s pool, dining in the kitchen and relaxing in the bedrooms went viral, another picture of them watching their own demonstration on the television in the Presidential house has surfaced online.

Shared on Twitter by user ‘anything is possible’, the image shows a group of men lying on the floor, watching live TV apparently inside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official house. They are pictured watching “breaking news” on the television. The caption of the post read, “Sri Lankan protesters watching their protest in the presidential house.”

The extraordinary events in Sri Lanka are the culmination of months of mainly peaceful protest in the nation. The country is reeling under a severe foreign exchange shortage which has resulted in the worst financial crisis in almost seven decades. Sri Lanka has been hit by severe food and fuel shortages along with prolonged blackouts.

Amid severe economic crisis, over the weekend, huge angry crowds converged on the official residence of Mr Rajapaksa, chanting slogans and waving the national flag before breaking through the barricades and entering the property. Online videos and photos showed people roaming through the house and taking a dip in the president’s pool. They were even recorded mock-playing wrestling apparently on the Prime Minister’s bed.

Sri Lankan protesters watching their protest in the presidential house..🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/bhIGawMM0z

— anything is possible (@papas_imaculate) July 9, 2022

President Rajapaksa, on the other hand, has fled the country. The Sri Lankan government has said that Mr Rajapaksa would resign on July 13. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also said that he was willing to resign and make way for an all-party government to take over.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Army chief General Shavendra Silva has sought people’s support to maintain peace as the country grapples with the unprecedented crisis.