Tear gas and water cannons fired at protesting HND students

The police fired gas and used water cannons to disperse the protesting Higher National Diploma (HND) students near the World Trade Centre in Colombo today (May 21).

Earlier today, Colombo Fort Police had secured an order from the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on the protest march organized by HND students.

As per the court order, the protesters were barred from entering several roads in Colombo, including the York Street, Bank Street, Chaithya Road, Lower Chatham Street, Layden Bastian Road, Sir Baron Jayatilaka Mawatha , Mudalige Mawatha, Hospital Road and Canal Road.

They were also asked to refrain from resorting to violence or unlawful conduct and to carry out the protest march without causing damages to any public institution and official residences in the Colombo Fort police division, or obstructing the duties of officers in the area.