Police use water cannons to disperse protesting Sri Lankan student activists

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police used water cannons to disperse a group of university student activists who were protesting at Lipton Circus in Colombo on Wednesday (26) afternoon.

They were seeking the immediate release of two student activists who have been in remand custody for over 200 days. 

Student activists from the Inter-University Students' Federation gathered at Lipton Circus at around 2 PM on Wednesday (26) and launched a protest.

They were seeking the immediate release of two student activists who have been in remand custody for over 200 days, namely the Chairman of the Student Union of the University of Kelaniya Kelum Mudannayake, and Student Activist Dilshan Harshana.

Sri Lanka Police and Crowd Control Units was stationed at the premises, and the university students were given a considerable time period to vacate.

The university students then attempted to proceed towards the University Grants Commission, and in order to prevent them from moving forward, Sri Lanka Police used water cannons.