Sri Lanka declares state of emergency as protesters call on president to quit
- The move follows a day of anti-government strikes and rallies, with police firing tear gas at demonstrators outside parliament
- Leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa has refused to step down, repeatedly calling for a unity government led by him
Details of the latest emergency regulations were not yet made public, but previous emergency laws have given greater powers to the president to deploy the military, detain people without charge and break up protests.
“The president has taken this decision due to the public emergency situation in Sri Lanka and in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community,” a statement released by his office said.
There were no initial reports of late-night disturbances following the emergency declaration soon before midnight, while traffic proceeded as normal in Galle Face, a central area of Colombo that has been a major site of protests and marches.
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Sri Lanka protests continue as police fire live ammunition and tear gas, killing one
The announcement drew condemnation from Sri Lanka’s opposition and several Western countries.