July 09, Colombo: Large crowds from many parts of the island are heading to capital Colombo to participate in the massive protest today (9), demanding that the government including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa leave immediately.

Local reporters said after the lifting of the illegal curfew imposed last night to prevent the people joining the protest, crowds from outskirts have reached "Gota Go Village" struggle ground at the Galle Face green.

Neth News reported that the protestors made a request to the station masters to run trains from Kandy and Galle to Colombo in particular and more than two thousand people gathered in those stations.

In the meantime, it is also reported that some people who are unable to come due to the fuel crisis are also coming on foot to the Galle Face struggle ground.

A large number of people are coming on foot from different areas like Gampaha, Ragama, Negombo, Kalutara etc. to participate in this struggle.

This struggle has been organized under the theme ‘On the 9th at 9.00 am the whole country to Colombo’.

A number of opposition political parties, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), have declared their support for this struggle, and a large number of religious leaders, university professors, professionals, artists, and university students, led by the Maha Sangha, are currently marching to Colombo.

The purpose of the Struggle was to inform the people and to protest the existing situation, and the people who came near the public library also held a conference there.

In addition, a bike ride from Kurunegala to Colombo also started Thursday and it is scheduled to reach Colombo today (9).

In support of the struggle, a protest march organized by the Inter-University Student Federation was held from Kelaniya University to Colombo yesterday (8).

Many Buddhist monk organizations have started a Satyagraha Thursday (7) at Colombo Fort, and a group of monks have started a continuous fast there, saying that Gotabaya Rajapaksa should step down from the presidency.

A large number of Catholic priests and civil organizations have started a march from Wattala Thursday (7) to join this struggle.