This footage was filmed and produced 9 May 2022.

May 9th marked a month since the Galle Face Green transformed into a mass protest site in Sri Lanka. When the word went round that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was preparing to tender his resignation, many local government politicians and provincial councillors arranged bus loads of people to be present near Temple Trees on May 9. A demonstration that appeared to be peaceful in nature took a violent turn when pro-Rajapaksa supporters moved towards ‘MainaGoGama’ in front of Temple Trees where they burned down tents and assaulted peaceful protesters before heading towards the ‘GotaGoGama’.

At the time of writing as many as 154 people had suffered injuries following the attacks on peaceful protesters at the Galle Face Green. Minutes after the incidents unfolded, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued a statement condemning violent acts while Prime Minister Rajapaksa officially tendered his resignation in an undated letter.