Hopes of staying overnight ... dashed on the rocks! Protest over by 10.15 pm. Roundabout cleared up!

Hopes of staying overnight ... dashed on the rocks!

Protest over by 10.15 pm.

Roundabout cleared up!

The Janabalaya Colombo protest was over by about 10.15 this night as not anticipated earlier. People who participated in the protest after attending the rally today (5), sat down by the roadside and rested and then had their dinner. As reported, a large crowd who came in after that had gone back home. There were those who shouted that though they came because of Mahinda, as there were no proper facilities to spend the night or there was no plan in that connection they cannot remain there anymore arguing their reasons and their voices were
captured by rupavahini videos.

Subsequently only close upon 5000 people remained near Town Hall and as such the plan to protest and carry out a satyagraha in front of Araliyagaha Mandiraya and President's official residence was given up because there was no sufficient crowd and finally with the torches they had already prepared had come and sat down near Lake House roundabout and commenced a satyagraha with the torches lit up. As the crowd was not sufficient enough, the number of seniors of Joint Opposition were less. the former President who was not to be seen in the initial stages later joined in and told in font of cameras that he would join in the satyagraha till morning. After the speech of the former President, some items of 'angampora' and cultural scenes already planned were in action before the crowd there. However, the protestors had reversed their ideas of staying back the night and had said that they wanted to back home.

What was reported around 10.15 in the night was that they had dropped the idea of staying there the night and were getting ready to disperse. After clearing up the place with waste items lying around there, had given up the protest unexpectedly and had thus left. Those leaving had told the media that as there was no plan in the programme and for lack of purpose they had to face many inconveniences and that they came because of Mr. Mahinda. What the organisers had informed before this was that till dawn they would not be leaving while some others said that they would not leave that place till the government is toppled.