Court rejects police request to stop opposition procession

( January 04, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Colombo Magistrate Mrs. Praharsha Ranasinghe has rejected a request by police to stop the planned procession in support of Opposition Common Candidate General Sarath Fonseka. The procession is scheduled to begin from various points in Colombo and converge on the Campbell Park in Borella today.

When police told court that the procession would not be a peaceful one, the magistrate observed that in the event the procession was not peaceful, the police had the power to stop such processions.

“It is not necessary to obtain court orders to stop such processions,” the magistrate said.

Meanwhile, the courts also rejected a similar request by the Welikada police to stop today's procession.