Sri Lankan police clear protest sites, stoking fears of further unrest
IMF talks jeopardized: Security forces storm the presidential secretariat hours after Wickremesinghe was sworn in as president

Hundreds of riot police armed with batons and shields stormed the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat and a nearby compound held by protesters.
The overnight raid came just hours after Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as President. His predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled the country and resigned after months of protests against his mismanagement.
"About a hundred riot police entered through the gate at the back of the building. They also set up a barricade at the top of the street," said Prabath, an engineering student.
The removal of the protesters was a clear show of force by Wickremesinghe and could give a boost to protesters who have been camping out in the streets in the scorching heat for almost four months.
The crackdown could also complicate talks with the IMF over a $3 billion bailout package needed to get the economy back on its feet. The people of Sri Lanka suffer from rising prices, lack of fuel and many go without their daily meals.
Sri Lanka's new president is unpopular with demonstrators, who have accused him of not having a mandate because he lost his seat in parliament in the recent elections and was only elected president by parliament. They also accuse him of protecting Rajapaksa from corruption allegations during his tenure as Prime Minister between 2015 and 2019.
Protesters have looted offices and private homes of the President and Prime Minister this month before exiting shortly thereafter. The Presidential Secretariat in the heart of Colombo was the only place they stayed in a small part of the building during the protests.
Police quickly took control of the area surrounding the presidential building early Friday, then cleared tents, posters and artwork from the street in front of the building, scuffles and skirmishes with protesters.
The square has been at the center of protests that have rocked the island nation of 22 million. Demonstrators mingled with protesters, and students organized dance parties and rallies even as passers-by strolled by.
As of Friday morning, a larger tent city that had been erected near several upscale hotels remained undisturbed by security forces and offered refuge to fleeing protesters.





