Tense situation at Viharamahadevi Park over court order to evict protesting monks

Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror report that Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama ruled on Friday, October 23, that an order made the previous day directing protesters to leave Viharamahadevi Park would not be withdrawn or amended. Daily Mirror reports that the magistrate rejected a motion by Buddhist monks at the satyagraha seeking to challenge or vary that order.

Sri Lanka Mirror reports that the protest was held near the Buddha statue in the park and demanded the release of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera. Rupavahini News also reports that the protest called for his release. Sri Lanka Mirror says lawyers representing the monks asked the court to let them remain at the site.

Newswire reports that lawyers for the protesters and the Attorney General filed separate motions on Friday. Newswire says the protesters’ lawyers sought a change to the earlier order so the satyagraha could continue.

Sri Lanka Mirror also reports that police could take action under the Code of Criminal Procedure if necessary. Newswire reports that the magistrate said police could take appropriate action under the Penal Code if the order was breached, while WhatNews reports that the order remained unchanged and refers to possible action under the Penal Code.

Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.