The island-wide curfew currently in force will be lifted at 7.00 am tomorrow morning and re-imposed at 2.00 pm tomorrow (12 May). 

It will remain in effect until 6.00 am on Friday (13 May), the President’s Media Division said.

Accordingly, no one is permitted to stay on a public road, railroad, public park, public playground or any other public area or beaches except under a written permit issued by a particular authorizing officer, during the curfew period. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Police said that the curfew order will be strictly enforced, especially tonight, and urged the general public to stay home as much as possible.

The police media division also said that all police stations have been instructed to exercise maximum force to prevent vehicle searches by unruly mobs or violent groups and incidents of damaging public or private property, looting and assault.

Police officers are also directed to open fire when necessary in order to prevent such incidents, the statement said.

Curfew was declared in Sri Lanka at 7.00 p.m. on Monday (May 09), in accordance with the provisions of Section 16 of the Public Security Ordinance, as nationwide public furore escalated following an assault a mob of government supporters on the peaceful protesters at the Galle Face Green protest site and near the Temple Trees.

Initially expected to remain in effect until Tuesday morning (May 10), the curfew order was first extended until this morning (May 11). However, it was extended again until Thursday morning, as incidents of violence continue to be reported from various parts of the country.