Sri Lankan TV goes off air after protesters break into broadcaster's office

13 July 2022, 11:08

A national TV channel in Sri Lanka has been taken off air after protesters surrounded and managed to break into its offices.

Fury at the Government's handling of the economy has tipped into a full-blown crisis that caused the island nation's president to flee and the prime minister to declare a state of emergency.

On Wednesday, demonstrators surrounded the office of the Rupavahini Corporation and appear to have managed to get into the state broadcaster's workplace. It is headquartered in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital.

The country's president Gotabaya Rajapaksa sensationally fled the island on Wednesday, having initially been due to step down over the economic crisis.

His family has dominated politics there for years. He scarpered to the Maldives on board an air force plane.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the prime minister, declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in the region that contains Colombo.

His press officer told Reuters: "The prime minister as acting president has declared a state of emergency (countrywide) and imposed a curfew in Western Province."

Hundreds descended on his Colombo office, undeterred by tear gas-firing police and the brief arrival of a military helicopter.

They want him to follow Mr Rajapaksa out the door. The fleeing president has declared Mr Wickremesinghe as acting president in his absence, but he has said he will only go when a new government is formed.

The economic crisis has led to protesters breaching the president's residence, playing in its pool and relaxing in its lavish rooms.

The United Nations has previously warned that at least a quarter of people in Sri Lanka are at risk of food shortages as a result of the severe economic crisis.

It is also suffering from a shortage of vital products like fuel and medicine.

Read more: Sri Lanka protesters swim in president's pool after storming official residence

"I came here today to send the president home," said Wasantha Kiruwaththuduwa, a 50-year-old who told the New York Times he walked 10 miles to take part in demonstrations.

"Now the president must resign. If he wants peace to prevail, he must step down."

"We need both... to go home," said 28-year-old civil servant Supun Eranga, who was in the crowd at the prime minister's office.

"Ranil couldn't deliver what he promised during his two months, so he should quit. All Ranil did was try to protect the Rajapaksas," The Telegraph quoted him as saying.