‘Utter disgrace’: drama at Miss Sri Lanka New York pageant as party turns violent
- The first-ever Miss Sri Lanka New York, held to raise funds for Sri Lanka’s national cancer hospital, saw guests raining blows on one another
- Netizens slammed the ‘typical behaviour of village Sri Lankans’ for tarnishing the diaspora’s image in the US
The maiden edition of Miss Sri Lanka New York was marred by a scuffle involving several people at the pageant’s after-party in the South Beach neighbourhood on Staten Island.
A video of the ruckus, which went viral on social media, showed men and women, including the contestants, raining blows on each other at the event attended by more than 300 guests last Friday.
It was not clear what triggered the clash that also led to damage to property. Reports said multiple arrests were made in connection with the incident.
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The organisers decided to hold the event on Staten Island, home to a large Sri Lankan diaspora, to help the South Asian nation which is in a “difficult condition”.
“Sri Lanka is not in a very good situation at the moment. We thought we have to do something for the community and the girls here. To bring out their talent and collect something and send it back to Sri Lanka,” Miss Sri Lanka New York 2022 committee member Sujani Fernando was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror newspaper.
But Sri Lankan netizens poured scorn on members of the community, saying their behaviour tarnished the diaspora’s image in the United States.
“This is the typical behaviour of village Sri Lankans. Every event ends up in a brawl. From elders to children to women. they hit at each other with plastic chairs, umbrellas. It’s quite exciting to watch,” wrote a user.
Said another: “Utter disgrace and embarrassing. All of them should be arrested and punished according to the law.”
