Trade unionists and activists planning to engage in protests in the near future have been asked to bring a bag of clothes along with them when engaging in their respective protests. State Minister Sanath Nishantha had last week made this observation, saying it was not a threat but a message given with affection to protesters. The State Minister’s statement has been made at a time when trade unionists and activists have formed a broad coalition to agitate against the enforced quarantine of several trade union activists by the Police, following a protest campaign recently. According to Nishantha, holding protests at a time when the country was battling against Covid-19 would result in the emergence of another wave of the pandemic. He had added that quarantine regulations would strictly be enforced against all those who engage in protests and the protesters should therefore bring a bag of clothes along with them when going to participate in a protest.

Source: The Nation July 17, 2021 20:00 UTC