Sri Lankan MPs have a punch-up in parliament as thousands of protesters take to the streets after speaker announces the country has ‘no government’

Sri Lanka’s political crisis descended into farce Thursday with MPs throwing punches and projectiles in parliament, a day after voting the disputed prime minister out of office and leaving the country without a government.

Meanwhile, police said tens of thousands of people took part in a rally in Colombo in support of Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose sacking as prime minister plunged the Indian Ocean nation into turmoil almost three weeks ago.

“It was difficult to make out immediately who was hitting whom, but several were hurt, but not seriously,” said an official from the parliament. “The speaker adjourned the House till tomorrow (Friday).”

The official said an MP from toppled premier Mahinda Rajapakse’s party injured himself trying to rip out the speaker’s microphone and had to be taken to hospital with a bleeding hand.

Sri Lanka has endured nearly three weeks of political crisis after President Maithripala Sirisena fired Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and replaced him with Rajapakse, Sri Lanka’s divisive and seasoned political bruiser, on October 26.