Protesters in Sri Lanka defy a weekend curfew to rally against the nation’s worsening economic crisis, after authorities imposed a social media blackout to contain public dissent. Troops armed with automatic assault rifles moved to stop the protest by The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka’s main opposition alliance and their supporters. The road was barricaded a few hundred metres from the home of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and the crowd engaged in a tense stand-off with security forces for nearly two hours before dispersing peacefully.