Thread by @Amaliniii

'Today is one month that Nande has been at home'

Scenes from a #Gotagogama that has immediately started rebuilding, and evolving situations elsewhere.

Please stay safe. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Police and Army barricade at Lotus Road, 2.31 pm. They eventually left. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

'You thought you could crush our protest with your violence and bloodshed. We thank all those who stood with us and say, we will be stronger now'

Spirits seemingly high on the barricade when we eventually made it there. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

"Come everyone, help us to build the library back, together"

Contrary to a tweet posted here earlier, the library was not burned - badly ransacked, yes. Folks started filling the shelves quickly, from the overflow books. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

"If you're from the media, put the correct story. Look at how they (the pro-Rajapaksa) supporters destroyed my shop, all these items are not gone. I'd taken a loan to buy all these toys also. I'm not scared." #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Tents rebuilt being brought into #Gotagogama, while people intervene to stabilise another. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

"I leaned forward to help a friend who was injured and they immediately jumped on me. They tried to take my helmet off but they couldn't, otherwise they might have cracked my skull open" - from #Mainagogama

#lka #srilanka

"My husband was also badly injured, and had his leg broken. I'm the one who made these t-shirts. We shared them and food with some of the people who attacked us, they must have been spying on us for them, definitely" #lka #SriLanka

"If you can see how low these people are willing to go, they even broke the memorial. This is what I took from it, so I can show and tell people what they did. The worst must happen to them. " #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

"They asked me 'Are you Tamil? In our Sinhala-Buddhist country? (She isn't.) Where were you when the war was happening? Did you come here to f*** around?'. I got injured running away. Someone shouted 'don't hit women' or they'd have surely hammered me." #lka #srilanka #GoHomeGota

Anti-govt protestors riding in on what's left of one of the buses that brought the pro-govt protestors in to Colombo. Windows shattered, seats extracted, metal hammered, all possible pieces being removed. "Don't take videos", they said. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Crowds were beginning to pour into #Gotagogama when we left. If you're in touch with folks there, see if they need support repairing anything or with food where possible. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Bus conductor said not to go on the footboard because 'they' (anti-govt) were checking buses for pro-govt people who'd been brought into the CMB. Passed one lot in Panchikawatte, "we just came from the protest", someone said to calm them - something was aflame at the junc. #lka

For the last 3.5kms of the journey, we are stopped 5 times by these groups. They walk in with wooden or steel poles, tree branches, and a knife. They say to put phones away & ask if any drunk ppl or MR supporters are here. "We'll burn the bus with you in it" they threaten. #lka

Along the route, we've seen 4 buses reduced to warped metal and shards of glass - 3 private, one SLTB.

"Sorry to inconvenience you, but we are doing this for our country's future" they say after questioning people about why they are on this route & where they are heading. #lka

Things to remember:

Gotagogama in Kandy was also attacked. If you know folks at protest sites or planning actions outside Colombo, please check on them too. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Violence like today will be an excuse to bring the military in anywhere, but especially in the North. Especially in May. Especially with the #LKA state's need to suppress memorial events by Tamils for those lost in the war. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Police watching & helping while state-sponsored thugs attack peaceful protestors & set fire to businesses of innocent people goes right back to this man.

Painful reminder of how many times we've been through this & have learned nothing. #lka #SriLanka

Few more moments from yesterday.

The pro-govt mobs burned down the art gallery, on the Galle Face green. A place where powerful, political art was created and displayed. These kids' drawings one day also asked Gota seeya when he was going home. #lka #srilanka #GoHomeGota

Clergy and lawyers protecting people from the STF protecting the state from the people who want them gone. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota

Tactics to protect the people from the state - traffic cones for tear gas - vs to protect the state from people = gas mask, baton, gun. #lka #srilanka #GoHomeGota

Ports authority unions and doctors walked into the protest site after work yesterday, in solidarity with the people. #lka #SriLanka #GoHomeGota