Thousands of protestors in Sri Lanka have broken into the president's official residence in the capital Colombo as growing public anger over the country's economic collapse comes to a head.
The pre-planned rally broke into the residence as anger over the worsening economy boiled over.
Video from local TV news NewsFirst channel showed protestors wearing helmets and Sri Lankan flags storming the residence.
Police and military personnel at the scene were unable to hold back the crowds, who broke through the gates chanting their demand for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.
The seafront residence and secretariat had already been the site of sit-in protests for months.
This week, an ongoing economic crisis deepened yet further, with President Rajapaksa declaring the country to be bankrupt.
Sri Lanka's crisis has come as a lack of currency has led to the country being unable to import vital supplies including fuel, food, and medicine.
It has also led to soaring inflation rates, with regular power cuts and massive queues at the petrol pump becoming the norm.
The official presidential residence saw extraordinary scenes as protestors completely took over the building.
Footage circulating on social media shows protestors jumping into the swimming pool in the residence, while a Facebook Live showed people moving into the building in real time.
The Sri Lankan government has confirmed that President Rajapaksa has been moved to a secure and undisclosed location.
The government was also forced to announce a fuel ration for essential services as Sri Lanka was unable to import any fuel.
This meant that only essential services were permitted to purchase fuel, resulting in the country's economy grinding to a complete stop, with schools being forced to close.
But even this was not enough to stop thousands of people travelling to the city from the suburbs to protest.
Fisherman Sampath Perera, 37, was one of many who overcrowded buses to join the protest.
He told Reuters: "We have told Gota over and over again to go home but he is still clinging onto power. We will not stop until he listens to us."
Sky News has reported that at least 34 people, including two police officers, have been injured as protestors tried to enter the residence.
The beleaguered country is currently seeking a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) worth $3 billion.
However, the political instability could have an impact on talks between Sri Lanka and the IMF.
The economic crisis is the worst that the country has faced since its independence from the UK in 1948.
A large factor in the crisis was the collapse of the country's tourism sector, a bulwark of the economy, as the Covid-19 pandemic led to travel restrictions being put in place.
