9th July marks one year since protesters stormed the President’s House in Colombo and forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa to announce his resignation.
The protest was part of the ‘Aragalaya’ campaign to remove Rajapaksa from office and push for a system change in local politics.
Thousands of people gathered at Galle Face from all around the country and pushed through military barricades to reach the President’s House in Fort.
Tear-gas and water cannons were fired at the protesters, but people moved in from all sides and the military eventually backed down.
The protesters stormed into the President’s House damaging some of the property and some were also seen swimming in the pool.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa later announced he will resign from office to ensure normalcy returns to the country.
The protesters also took over the Presidential Secretariat, Temple Trees and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The President’s House, Prime Minister’s Office and Temple Trees were later handed over to the Government by the protesters.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe later deployed the military to take back control of the Presidential Secretariat.