COLOMBO: In a tweet, the protesters were seen cleaning the house and garden, collecting scraps in disposable bags, after storming into the official residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to vent their wrath against the worst economic crisis which they experienced, demanding his resignation.
As per the videos shared on social media on July 9, the protesters ransacked the entire building as the embattled president fled from his home. They were seen taking a dip inside the swimming pool which is usually reserved for the president and his immediate family.
They even entered the kitchen and tasted the food kept for the president and his staff. They clicked selfies and sat on the bed inside a room. In one of the videos, a protester was seen ransacking the cupboard and drawers and also flashed an earbud in front of the camera.
Twitter users took this as a gesture of solidarity and goodwill. One of them wrote, "Very good gesture. Now when President and Prime minister gone people have to think and choose a government how to run the country. No more protests."
Another wrote, "Love and respect for all the brothers and sisters that contributed to this revolution."
Yet another wrote, "Always appreciated that civic sense in Lankans."
Another wrote, "Very good gesture... As I know Lankans, they understand this is public property and they have to protect it, keep it clean."
Masses are exasperated over the six-month-long economic crisis which has derailed Sri Lanka leading to fuel, food, essential medicine shortages and long power outages. Gotabaya did try to pacify them by replacing his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa with Ranil Wickremesinghe but failed to calm down the protests.