The situation is escalating in Sri Lanka. The country’s president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled his official residence in Colombo on Saturday (July 9th) minutes before it was stormed by protesters demanding his resignation.

Local television channels showed images of hundreds of people climbing the gates of the presidential palace in the heart of the capital. The country’s Prime Minister immediately announced the convening of an emergency meeting.

Tens of thousands of people had previously taken part in a demonstration to demand the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, held responsible for the unprecedented economic crisis hitting Sri Lanka. The country is affected by galloping inflation and severe shortages of fuel, electricity and food.

Security forces had imposed a curfew on Friday to try to discourage protesters from taking to the streets, but the measure was lifted after opposition parties, human rights activists and the country’s bar association threatened to sue the police chief.

The curfew had been largely ignored by protesters anyway, some of whom even forced rail authorities on Saturday to take them by train to Colombo to take part in the rally.