US Embassy issues vehicle protest alert for 29th June

The US Embassy in Colombo has issued a demonstration alert for a vehicle protest planned for tomorrow. A post on its website said that calls for a country-wide “vehicle protest” on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM have been widely circulated on social media.  The post said that the protest calls for all vehicles to stop in place along roads, blocking traffic, for the five-hour period.  Although organizers request emergency vehicles be allowed to pass, the collective action will likely cause road congestion. The post goes on to add that even peaceful demonstrations can quickly turn confrontational and escalate into violence.  Avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place and exercise caution when in the vicinity of large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations. The actions recommended are to avoid the areas of rallies or demonstrations, exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests, monitor local media for updates and to keep a low profile.