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| Protesters blame President Gotabaya Raja Pakse for the country's economic crisis. Photo: AFP |
Police in riot gear stormed a rally in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck.
The siege of the presidential palace in Colombo on Saturday is one of the largest anti-government protests in the crisis-hit country this year.
Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, has seen a sharp shortage of foreign exchange, which has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine.
This is the worst financial crisis in 70 years. Many blame President Gotabhaya Raja Pakse for the country's economic crisis.
Protesters, who have been protesting peacefully since March, have been demanding his resignation.
An eyewitness said that thousands of people entered the area of government offices in Colombo chanting slogans against the president and broke the barricades set up by the police to reach Raja Pakse's house.
Colombo president house footage
Shots were fired but failed to stop the angry mob from besieging the presidential residence.
The president was evacuated from his official residence before protesters arrived, a senior official said.
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