Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesting university students near the Sri Jayewardenepura University at the Wijerama Junction in Nugegoda, yesterday (7). 

The protest march had been organised by the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) based on several demands including the revoking of the suspensions imposed on several university student activists. The Soratha Road, the stretch of road from the Wijerama Junction to the University, had been cordoned off due to the said protest march.

Earlier yesterday, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court issued a restraining order on 13 individuals including the IUSF Convenor Madushan Chandrajith, the Convenor of the Inter-University Bhikkhu Federation (IUBF) Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma Thera, as well as Duminda Nagamuwa and Lahiru Weerasekara of the Frontline Socialist Party, barring them from holding protests that cause inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicular movement. The order also prevented the protesters from entering the President’s Office, the President’s House, the Finance Ministry and the Galle Face area, according to the Police. 

Additionally, the Court had ordered the respondents not to damage public and private property, and to refrain from displaying any violent conduct that may provoke the public. The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court had also issued an order on Nagamuwa and Weerasekara and 10 others regarding the protest planned in Colombo. Accordingly, they had been prevented from leading a protest demonstration while inconveniencing pedestrians, vehicular traffic around the Colombo National Hospital, Dean’s Road and the T.B. Jayah Mawatha, obstructing the Fire Brigade, ambulances, etc., and all schools in the area, the Police said. The order has been issued following a request made by the Colombo Fort Police.