Law enforcement stated Saturday they arrested a Sri Lankan trade union chief who allegedly took two formal flags from the deposed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa's palace and applied them as a bedsheet and a sarong.
Tens of 1000's of persons, incensed by the island nation's financial disaster, stormed Rajapaksa's home and seafront workplace previously this thirty day period, forcing the chief to flee the state and afterwards resign.
The man's arrest on Friday evening will come right after a social media submit confirmed him utilizing one particular of the formal presidential flags as a bedsheet and the other as a sarong, a law enforcement officer advised AFP, on situation of anonymity.
"We determined him from the films filmed and posted by his son," the officer stated.
"He advised investigators that he burnt one particular flag and we have recovered the one particular he applied as a sarong."
The gentleman was remanded in custody for two months pending even further investigations, the officer additional.
Sri Lanka's 22 million persons have endured months of prolonged blackouts, report inflation and shortages of foods, gas and petrol.
Rajapaksa experienced been blamed by protesters for mismanaging the nation's funds and community anger experienced simmered for months prior to the mass demonstrations that compelled his ouster.
Shortly right after protesters overran the Presidential Palace, there have been social media posts of them frolicking in the presidential pool and bouncing on 4-poster beds within the sprawling compound.
The close by Temple Trees compound, the formal key minister's home, was also overrun on the very same working day and protesters experienced taken out televisions and other valuables.
Law enforcement stated an stock was staying taken at the colonial-period structures which are repositories of worthwhile artwork and antiquities.
But protesters also turned about to authorities all over seventeen.5 million rupees ($forty six,000) in crisp banknotes that experienced been discovered in one particular of the presidential palace's rooms.
Rajapaksa's successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has vowed a hard line on "issues-makers" and law enforcement have arrested numerous protest leaders in modern times.
Parliament prolonged a point out of unexpected emergency this 7 days, offering the armed forces sweeping powers to preserve purchase and detain suspects for prolonged durations.
The armed forces final 7 days demolished a protest camp outdoors the president's workplace that experienced campaigned for Rajapaksa's ouster -- a go that drew global condemnation accusing troops of utilizing too much pressure on unarmed demonstrators.
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