Buddhist Monks End Colombo Protest Over Gnanasara Thera Pardon
Buddhist monks ended a sit-in at the Presidential Secretariat after a court order, following a six-day march demanding a pardon for Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara.
Sinhala Buddhist monks ended an overnight sit-in outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on October 16, 2026, after the Fort Magistrate issued a court order barring 54 individuals from the high-security zone. The protest was the culmination of a six-day Justice for the Robe – Freedom March from Kandy, demanding a presidential pardon for Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, the leader of the Bodu Bala Sena. Gnanasara had been arrested on October 3 after the Supreme Court annulled a 2019 pardon related to a 2018 contempt of court conviction.
Tensions escalated during the demonstration when police dismantled temporary shelters and a hut erected for a Buddha statue on Galle Road. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa condemned these actions as undemocratic and an affront to the Buddhist faith. While the Secretary to the President and the Chief of Presidential Staff met with monk representatives, they declined to provide a specific timeline for a decision, stating the government would follow legal procedures.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake refused to bypass prison laws to grant the pardon, asserting that personal wishes should not dictate the law. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya added that the president would make a decision at the right time. Following the court order, the protesters dismantled their shelters and moved to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs for further talks.
