The protesters who have occupied the Sri Lankan presidential and prime ministerial residences say they will remain there until the leaders officially quit, according to reports.
Thousands of protesters stormed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home and office and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official residence on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Since then, photos have emerged of how the protesters are making themselves at home in the luxurious official residences.
The leaders of the protest movement said on Sunday, per reports, that they will stay put until the leaders finally leave office.
“The president has to resign, the prime minister has to resign, and the government has to go,” said playwright Ruwanthie de Chickera during a Sunday news conference in Colombo, per Reuters.
Rajapaksa said he would step down on July 13, per an announcement made by the parliament’s speaker on Saturday. But he has not been seen or made a public statement himself about the resignation, BBC News.
There has been pressure on him to quit following months of protests about soaring inflation causing food, medicine, and fuel shortages, as well as blackouts.
Wickremesinghe also said on Saturday he would step down after protesters set fire to his private home.