"This Is For Our Future": Ex Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Backs Protesters

After thousands of protesters swarmed the Sri Lankan President's official residence in Colombo against an unprecedented economic crisis, the island nation's cricketing legend and former national team captain Kumar Sangakkara has come out in support of the protests. Tweeting a three-second video clip of the protesters outside the presidential palace, he wrote, "This is for our future."

This is for our future. pic.twitter.com/pSMmo4o81Q

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) July 9, 2022

The clip shows a massive crowd of people waving Lankan flags and listening to someone addressing them through a loudspeaker.

Protestors have been demanding the ouster of the President for many months now and descended on his residence after he refused to comply. 

Another former cricketer, Sanath Jayasuriya, has also expressed support for the protesters. He called the President a "failed leader".

"In my entire life I have never seen the country United like this with one goal to throw out a failed Leader. The writing is now on YOUR official house WALL. Please go in peace," Sanath Jayasuriya tweeted with the hashtag #GoHomeGota.

Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was moved to the Army headquarters last night following intelligence reports that the situation at Saturday's planned rally "would go out of control", a top government source told NDTV. On Friday, three judges refused police requests to outlaw Saturday's protests.

Thousands of protesters -- many of whom packed into buses, trains and trucks from several parts of the country to reach Colombo -- surrounded the president's official residence this morning after breaking barricades set up by the police. Several military personnel have also joined citizens as they demand the resignation of President Rajapaksa.

 Protesters were even seen swimming in the pool and cooking in the kitchen after barging into the President's residence.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who would assume the presidency in the event of Mr Rajapaksa's resignation, has called an urgent cabinet meeting to discuss a "swift resolution" to the political crisis, his office said.