Colombo: In one of the largest marches against the government in the crisis-ridden nation this year, thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka stormed the President's house in Colombo after fracturing police barricades. The videos and Images which went viral on social media, showed hordes of people chanting anti-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa slogans marching toward the Presidential palace, encircling his official residence, and destroying barricades before storming inside. While anti-government demonstrations in Sri Lanka have been ongoing since the beginning of the year in response to the government's handling of the economic crisis, the demonstrations have recently turned violent. Conflicts between security personnel and protesters, some of whom were wearing helmets and Sri Lankan flags, gathered in large numbers in the Fort area, calling for President Rajapaksa's resignation, resulted in at least 30 injuries, including two police officers. Since early April, when protesters began to occupy the entrance to his office, Rajapaksa, who had been the target of calls for resignation since March, has made the President's House his home and workplace.
The President reportedly left his home on Friday in preparation for the protests on Saturday, according to sources. His whereabouts were unknown because protesters have taken over both his official residence and office.

Protesters stromed Sri Lanka's Rashtrapati Bhavan - video surfaced#SriLanka #RashtrapatiBhavan #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaEconomicCrisis pic.twitter.com/nAubfV5Hos

— News track English (@newstrack_eng) July 9, 2022

Protesters marched with black and national flags and shouted, "Gota go home," a shortened version of the president's name. The protesters also marched toward the military and police security perimeter surrounding important buildings. In the meantime, protesters broke into the President's residence amid mounting resentment over how the administration has handled an economic crisis, prompting Sri Lanka's prime minister to call an urgent gathering of political party leaders. In an effort to save fuel, the nation recently closed its schools and advised its citizens to work from home. According to a senior minister, Sri Lanka is having trouble raising $587 million to cover about six fuel shipments. 

The demonstrators entered the President's home and were visible having fun on the bed when he fled#SriLanka #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaCrisis #presidenthome pic.twitter.com/RE8QaiKrgd

— News track English (@newstrack_eng) July 9, 2022

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is aboard the SLNS Gajabahu, according to a Sri Lankan naval official, and will remain at sea until it is secure for him to return to the island nation. The official continued, "This was the contingency plan that had to be activated earlier than anticipated." After being moved out of his home on Friday, 

violent protesters jammed the road and take over the president's palace#SriLanka #SriLankaProtests #SriLankaCrisis #SriLankaEconomicCrisis #rashtrapatibhavan pic.twitter.com/G888FldwDo

— News track English (@newstrack_eng) July 9, 2022

Protesters in Sri Lanka attack President's house

Protesters also reached ongoing SL-AUS Test match, Jayasuriya also took to the streets

Violent protesters tries to Invade Sri Lanka's President Palace