Thousands of protesters stormed the Prime Minister’s office in Sri Lanka, breaking through police barricades. Authorities declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in the country’s western province. According to the speaker of parliament, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has delegated presidential duties to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after the president fled to the Maldives following months of protests against the economic crisis.

Wickremesinghe must serve as President for 30 days. The demonstrators announced that they will again storm the parliament and other government buildings if Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa do not formally submit their resignations by evening.

The demonstrators, on the other hand stopped the broadcasts of the channel after they raided the state television.