Viral video of assault on foreigner: Police issue clarification and warn against spreading old incidents

Sri Lanka Police have issued a clarification regarding a viral video circulating on social media that appears to show a Sri Lankan man assaulting a Filipino national.

A statement issued by the Police Media Division notes that the video in question is from an incident which took place within the Weligama Police Division in February 2024.

According to the statement, a Filipino national lodged a complaint at the Weligama Police Station on February 14, 2024, alleging that he was assaulted by a Sri Lankan man while visiting Weligama.

The video in question shows the Filipino national was doing a Vlog and while he was recording the footage at a surf training facility on the Polhena beach in Weligama, an employee of the said facility objected to it.

Subsequently, the foreign national had been assaulted by the employee of the surf facility, according to the statement by Police.

The statement noted that on the same day of the incident, officers from the Weligama Police arrested the 24-year-old suspect, a resident of Polhena, in connection with the assault. He was produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court.

The case is scheduled to be heard once again on September 11, 2025.

Sri Lanka Police emphasized that it is determined to take necessary action on complaints reported to Police Stations and videos circulating on social media regarding issues and incidents of harassment faced by foreign nationals visiting the country.

However, when incidents where suspects have been arrested and legal action has been taken are portrayed as cases that occurred recently, it is detrimental to the positive image of the country, the statement noted.
 
Therefore, Sri Lanka Police stated that it will investigate and take necessary legal action against individuals who circulate outdated incidents with the intention of tarnishing the reputation of the country.