Sri Lanka protesters swim in president's pool after storming official residence

9 July 2022, 12:32 | Updated: 9 July 2022, 15:06

Protesters in Sri Lanka have been filmed swimming in the president's pool after they stormed into the official residence demanding his resignation.

Protesters forced their way into the official residence and nearby office of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, with some pictured swimming in his pool.

It is not clear if Mr Rajapaksa was at the residence in Colombo, but footage filmed on mobile phones showed a large number of people inside the well-fortified house and on the grounds outside.

Hundreds of protesters, some carrying national flags, also entered the president's office in a nearby building.

Sri Lankan police have fired tear gas at protesters and a number of people have been injured in the scuffle.

Protesters blame Mr Rajapaksa for the economic woes and they have occupied the entrance to his office building for the past three months calling on him to step down.

Video posted on social media showed hundreds of protesters running into the president's residence, chanting "Gota go home", calling the president by his nickname. Outside the building, barricades were overturned.

At the president's office, security personnel tried to stop protesters who passed through the fences and stormed the colonial-era parliament building, which has been converted into his office.

At least 34 people including two police officers were injured in scuffles as protesters tried to enter the residence. Police fired tear gas at protesters.

Two of the injured are in a critical condition while others have sustained minor injuries, hospital officials said.

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has agreed to resign after party leaders in Parliament demanded both he and the embattled president step down on the day protesters stormed the president's residence and office.

Mr Wickremesinghe's spokesman Dinouk Colambage said the premier had told party leaders he will resign when all parties have agreed on forming a new government.

Thousands of protesters had entered Colombo from the suburbs earlier on Saturday after police lifted an overnight curfew.

In April, Sri Lanka announced it is suspending repaying foreign loans due to a foreign currency shortage. Its total foreign debt amounts to 51 billion US dollars (£42.4 billion), of which it must repay 28 billion (£23.3 billion) by the end of 2027.

The economic crisis has led to a heavy shortage of essentials like fuel, cooking gas and medicines, forcing people to stand in long queues to buy the limited supplies.

Mr Wickremesinghe took over as prime minister in May and protests temporarily waned in the hope he could find cash for the country's urgent needs, but people now want him to resign saying he has failed to fulfil his promises.