Sri Lanka police arrest opposition lawmakers over protest

By The Associated Press

Published October 10, 2017

Sri Lanka police have arrested three prominent opposition lawmakers, including the son of former president, for leading a protest against government plans to privatize an airport named after the former strongman.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara says Namal Rajapaksa, the son of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa, was arrested on Tuesday along with three other lawmakers and three more opposition politicians.

Police have previously arrested 28 suspects following last Friday's protest which saw opposition supporters clash with police who fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who protested the government's plans to privatize the airport located in the hometown of Rajapaksa.

The government has said the $210 million (US dollars) airport is a white elephant built during Rajapaksa's regime and that it was considering selling shares to an Indian investor.

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