Thread by @Amaliniii

No money for food, fuel or medicine but infinite money for violence against civilians - Police & Riot Police repeatedly tear gas IUSF protestors & more at Battaramulla today. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

'බිලි මගින් බලේ ගන්න - පිපිරෙව්වේ බෝම්බ තොපි'

IUSF march from Nugegoda to the Parliament entrance at Polduwa junction near Diyatha Uyana. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

Police ready at the first barrier, which didn't last long. A first group of performer/protestors tied these flags to the barricade. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

These two guys kept shouting 'standby! fried rice! watermelon! human barrier!' and bursting into laughter. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

Pulleys and just the force of pushing brought the corner two barricades undone. All the while the riot Police trucks were inching closer. Protestors didn't lay a finger on the Police standing behind.

Then they sprayed the tear gas. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

I know a lot of folks who say things like 'IUSF like getting teargassed, ඒගොල්ලන්ට ජොලි (it's fun for them)'.

It is absolute agony. And the press of bodies running to clear air is dangerous at best. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

'අපිට ගහලා ඇති, පාරට ගහන්නේ මොකෝ කැ* හු**' - you've already got us, why are you hitting the road **** f*****'.

Riot Police sent rounds of tear gas into the junction - canisters rolled under oncoming vehicles - towards the Diyatha pavement & into houses nearby. #lka #SriLanka

IUSF have since occupied this stretch of Parliament road. Drop by & spend time in solidarity or drop by with water/snacks if you're able to.

'ආණ්ඩුවට අපි බය නෑ, බයනම් අපි එන්නෙත් නෑ' - 'We're not scared of the government - if we were scared we wouldn't be here' #lka #GoHomeGota

Adding this in, because I hope it is also something you'll think about today. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Good morning to the folks over at #HoruGoGama - being told it's raining heavily in Battaramulla so hope they're holding up. Hold the food donations for now and help them with sheets/raincoats if possible. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Police and riot Police once again repeatedly tear-gassed Horugogama on Parliament road. Canisters going all the way to Diyatha Uyana. IUSF protestors, people joining to support, elders and kids all in the vicinity of the gas. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

Some pre-tear gas and water cannon scenes at #Horugogama. Iron barriers being used for actual security. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

There were canisters that went right into the crowds visiting Diyatha, where there are kids. Once, they launched about 3 canisters at the same time. Elderly & young folks collapse unable to breathe & are put into passing ambulances. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

Tactics (apparently) learned from the Hong Kong protests - covering the canister with a traffic cone and dousing it with water. The students were able to contain about 5 canisters this way. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

"I've been tear-gassed a lot, but this one is different. It burns more, and I feel my chest being crushed. The canister splits into 3. They are finding new tactics to hurt us more". #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

Crowds come in after the gas and water are stopped. The best part was hearing 'මේ පොලිස් ප* හු** අපේ පැත්ත පලාතේ එන්න දෙන්න බැහැ' - we can't let these Police f*** f****** anywhere near us ever again' & other variations of 'f*** the Police'. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Leaving to the sounds of the young one in the Boss tee leading some chanting on her own! So much joy on her face as people shouted back extra loud. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota #GoHomeGota2022

There are more people suffering in long gas queues than the number of people who got tear-gassed today.

While people struggle to find a meal, the water cannons directly hit the food tent.

The cruelty is the point, and the priorities are never the people. #lka #SriLanka

Remember May 2009;

They bombed hospitals - of course they have no qualms turning water-cannons at food tents.

They cluster-bombed Tamil civilians - of course they have no qualms cluster-teargassing protestors.

You elect war criminals - all they know is combat. #lka

See how much gas they're using. Every breath amidst this stuff - if you can even breathe - is a nightmare. Residents in houses nearby are feeling it too. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

instagram.com/tv/CdOKjLeBjy6…

Moments I missed from the last two days - people in the vicinity buying & bringing entire boxes of water bottles to the protestors who had been teargassed. Folks & families rolled down car windows to give their own bottles out. #lka #SriLanka