The National People’s Power (NPP) has announced plans to hold 21 May Day rallies across 21 major cities of Sri Lanka, with the participation of its senior leadership.

According to a statement from the NPP, Party Leader and President Anura Dissanayake will attend the May Day rally in Nuwara Eliya on the morning of May 1, followed by the rally in Maharagama in the afternoon. 

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya is scheduled to join the May Day rally in Ratnapura.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva will take part in rallies in Kalutara, Matara, and Tangalle, while Bimal Ratnayake is expected to participate in rallies in Vavuniya and Jaffna.

Other NPP leaders, including Vijith Herath, K.D. Lal Kantha, Sunil Handunneththi, Nalinda Jayatissa, Wasantha Samarasinghe, Anura Karunathilaka, and Harshana Nanayakkara will join May Day events in additional locations across the country. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police have announced that a special traffic plan and security arrangements will be in place for May Day rallies and processions scheduled across the country on World Labour Day, May 1, 2026.

According to the Police, the measures are designed to ensure peaceful commemorations, smooth vehicular movement, and public safety as political parties and trade unions prepare to stage rallies not only in Colombo but also in major cities, including Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle, Matara, and Kalutara.

Police stations nationwide have been instructed to implement traffic control, road safety, and crowd management measures. 

The Inspector General of Police has directed Senior Deputy Inspectors General in charge of provinces to oversee security and logistical arrangements for outstation rallies.

In Colombo, where the largest gatherings are expected, rallies and processions organized by political parties and trade unions will follow designated routes under the traffic plan.

The Police said that the arrangements aim to create a safe environment for May Day celebrations, while maintaining normal traffic flow across the island.

Traffic plans to be implemented for rallies in and around Colombo are as follows;

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Several opposition party leaders and members gathered at the Joint Opposition rally in Nugegoda today, despite heavy rain.

Former MPs G.L. Peiris, Udaya Gammanpila, Tiran Alles, Rajitha Senaratne, Vajira Abeygunawardena, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mahinda Amaraweera, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Harin Fernando, Sagara Kariyawasam, and Duminda Dissanayake were among those present. Current MPs Namal Rajapaksa and Chamara Sampath Dassanayake also addressed the crowd.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) did not attend, while UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was reported to have left the country earlier in the day.

Speaking at the rally, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa said the opposition had united “without fear of government restrictions and controls,” adding that even without signs of an election, they were ready to lead the public. He accused the government of breaking promises, working with the IMF despite earlier pledges to reject it, and burdening citizens with taxes.

MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake declared that the opposition’s purpose was not to appoint a leader, but stressed that if necessary, “any individual could be placed in the President’s seat.”

Former MP Harin Fernando described the rally as the first step in removing what he called a corrupt government, urging all opposition parties, including the SJB, to join hands.

Meanwhile, Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, claimed no government had feared a public rally as much as the current one, alleging that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was “most afraid” of the gathering. (Newswire)

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Bunches of grass have been spotted on utility poles at key junctions in the vicinity of Nugegoda, ahead of the joint opposition rally planned for today.

According to a video by NewsFirst, the bunches of grass have either been hung on utility poles or placed by key junctions in the area. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has met Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) General Secretary, former MP M. A. Sumanthiran, briefing him about the joint opposition rally organized for November 21. 

In a post on ‘X’, MP Namal Rajapaksa said he briefed Sumanthiran on the 21st public rally organized by the opposition against the National People’s Power (NPP) government and its failures to fulfil its pledges to the people. 

“While ITAK is not part of the rally, as a key opposition party, it’s important for us to keep them informed about the agenda and the critical issues we are addressing,” he said. 

MP Namal Rajapaksa further said that both parties share the view that the long-postponed provincial council elections, continually delayed under the current government, must be held without further postponement. 

“These elections are essential for strengthening local governance, and it is vital that they proceed in accordance with the Constitution,” he added. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa says the upcoming anti-government rally in Nugegoda on November 21 aims to remind the government of the promises it made to the people.

Addressing the media after a meeting at former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s party office on Flower Road, Colombo, Rajapaksa said that several opposition parties are participating in the discussions.

“In the past, discussions were held within the SLPP, but today we met with the United National Party (UNP) to ensure the success of the rally,” he said.

He added that the rally is intended to hold the government accountable and encourage it to act on its commitments. “Many people affected by government policies will join the rally,” he said.

Accordingly, the SLFP and UNP have agreed to participate, while other parties are expected to confirm their involvement after internal deliberations. (Newswire)

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Former Minister and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila has claimed that the government is conspiring to imprison him before the combined opposition’s planned “Nugegoda Rally” on November 21.

Speaking at a media briefing held today (29), Gammanpila said that a complaint was recently lodged against him with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) by an individual representing a non-governmental organization. 

He alleged that Bribery Commission officials themselves had prepared and recorded the complaint, which accuses him of defaming the Commission’s Director General under Section 125 of the Bribery Act through his media statements.

Gammanpila further charged that the complaint was politically motivated, lacking even a valid registration number of the NGO that supposedly filed it.

He reiterated that his previous comments on the appointment of the current Director General were based on facts presented in affidavits before the Supreme Court, pointing out that the candidate who scored the highest at the interview, Madhava Tennakoon, had been overlooked in favour of Ranga Dissanayake, a decision allegedly influenced by senior government leaders.

“The Director General of the Bribery Commission was appointed as a result of a corrupt process. When we expose that, instead of correcting the wrongdoing, the government is trying to jail those who reveal the truth,” he said.

The former minister alleged that this is the seventh attempt by the current administration to arrest him and claimed that certain ministers are personally pushing for his detention. 

He added that he is now “mentally prepared” to be imprisoned and sarcastically remarked that he would “live at government expense” for a few weeks so that “the ministers who lose sleep over this can finally rest.” (Newswire)

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By Sanjana Hattotuwa, Senior Researcher

Eight years ago to the day, journalist Azzam Ameen posted a tweet capturing what at the time was the Joint Opposition’s May Day rally at Galle Face. Individuals like Wimal Weerawansa were reported as saying the crowd was around 2 million, but in a detailed assessment of crowd strength (Doing the math: 2017 May Day rally of the Joint Opposition), I determined it to be around 118,000.

Ameen tweeted similar photos of the NPP’s May Day rally at Galle Face in 2025, which was the site of 2022’s GotaGoGama. Newspaper reports indicated the General Secretary of NPP, Nihal Abeysinghe, expected around 100,000 participants. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for Traffic Control and Road Safety, Indika Hapugoda, had a much higher number. He said around 221,000 people would arrive via 5,532 buses (a conservative average of around 39 per bus, even though an Ashok Leyland Viking can seat 58).

Used, as I did in 2017, the sui generis MapChecking platform to determine crowd strength at NPP’s May Day rally. On the other hand, social media commentator Dinidu de Alwis used ChatGPT, which through its own visual analysis noted “a very rough crowd estimate between 100,000 and 225,000 people”.

I primarily based crowd strength on this photo by posted by Ameen – one of four he tweeted.

The crowd’s in roughly four distinct segments.

1. Just past the Galle Face roundabout to around the entrance of the Taj Samudra hotel, there’s an audience segment that doesn’t extend to the walking path.
2. From beyond the Taj Samudra entrance to past One Galle Face (OGF), the crowd spills over to the walking path adjacent to the sea.
3. Separated by tents and temporary structures from the main crowd, the pavement/walking path next to Galle Road is also filled with people, extending to OGF.
4. At the time the photo was taken, Galle Road is also occupied by supporters, though with significantly less density than areas to its left.

The first section of the crowd, at a density of 4 per square meter (sqm) had ~39,457 people. 

The second section, at a density of 3.5 per sqm (accounting for what’s in some sections a crowd that’s visibly less than in other parts), had ~151,695 people.

The third section, at 3 per sqm (assuming that the crowd was as densely packed throughout as it is at the start, which is impossible to determine accurately because of tree cover, but has a very high likelihood), had around 38,439 people.

The fourth section, with the least density, calculated at 0.15 per sqm, featured ~1,496.

In total, the NPP’s May Day rally had, at the time Ameen’s photos were taken, around 231,087 people at Galle Face.

This is roughly around the same number DIG Hapugoda noted (221,000) and the upper limit of what de Alwis’ query from ChatGPT generated (225,000). 

The story was originally published on LinkedIn and has been published on Newswire with the author’s consent. 

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The National People’s Power (NPP) has informed the Police that around 5,532 buses will arrive at the Galle Face Green in Colombo for the party’s May Day rally, commemorating Labour Day today, it was reported.

According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for Traffic Control and Road Safety, Indika Hapugoda, said around 221,000 people will arrive via the buses. 

He said arrangements have been made to park the buses at Khan Roundabout, Fort Railway Station, Regal Cinema, Old Manning Market, Gamini Roundabout, Baladaksha Mawatha, Galle Central Road, Ood MOD land, in front of the Sri Lanka Air Force building, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawath, Colpetty Junction, and near the Colombo Lotus Tower.

Stating that 85 Police officers have been deployed for traffic management in Colombo today, he said that around 2000 Police officers, including those in civil, Special Task Force, and Intelligence Unit, have also been deployed across Colombo. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Police has announced special security and traffic arrangements in view of May Day rallies to be held across the country tomorrow (01 May) to commemorate Labour Day.

The Police have taken measures to provide security and traffic arrangements for the processions and rallies that have been planned by political parties across Sri Lanka. 

Political rallies, processions, and events have been planned in several areas of Colombo and in Thalawakele. 

The processions and rallies to be held tomorrow are as follows;

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Former Minister D. V. Chanaka has accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of destroying the Tangalle Municipal Grounds by conducting a political rally.

Addressing the media, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) member said the Tangalle Municipal Grounds was the biggest grounds in the area and a public asset.

He further said that the President’s first political rally had completely destroyed the grounds, making it unusable for at least two months. 

“All political parties, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, had previously come to a common consensus on not providing the grounds for any political events. The Municipal Council had also introduced legislation that Rs. 3.9 million must be deposited if the grounds were to be used for any purpose,” he revealed. 

D. V. Chanaka accused the President of misusing his powers and using the Tangalle Municipal Grounds without paying the required Rs. 3.9 million deposit.

“No vehicles are allowed into the grounds. But the President’s vehicle had been allowed as a result of which the ground has now become a muddy area. It is estimated that a damage of Rs. 2 million to 2.5 million has been sustained,” he said.

The former MP also revealed that school children use the grounds for cricket training, but are unable to do so and are facing severe inconvenience as inter-school cricket tournaments have commenced. 

He further questioned the Prime Minister and Sports Minister Harini Amarasuriya how she had agreed to the destruction of this public grounds.  

D.V. Chanaka also urged the President, together with his National Pwoples’ Power (NPP) party, to restore the grounds with party funds. (Newswire) 

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Eight persons, including six Police officers, have sustained injuries due to firecrackers set alight by supporters of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Presidential candidate MP Sajith Premadasa for his election rally in Kandy.

According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, supporters of MP Premadasa had lit the firecrackers moments before the rally was set to begin. 

The injured individuals have been admitted to the Kandy Hospital. Two Police officers on duty for the election rally and two civilians had been injured in the incident. (Newswire)

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Several political parties have organized public rallies and processions tomorrow (May 01), to commemorate Labour Day.

According to the Police, special traffic plans will be implemented in view of the public rallies and processions to be held in Colombo, Gampaha, Anuradhapura, Matara, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy. 

Key political parties, such as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Samagi Jana Balawegya (SJB), United National Party (UNP), and National Peoples Power (NPP) are only holding public rallies this year.

The SLPP will hold a public rally at Campbell Park Grounds in Borella, while the SJB’s rally will take place at Lower Chatham Street in Colombo, and the UNP will hold its rally at PD Sirisena Grounds in Maligawatte.

The NPP will hold a procession starting at 02.00 pm from the BRC Grounds in Colombo and ending at Kannagara Mawatha where the public rally will be held from 03.00 pm. 

Other political parties and workers associations will also hold processions as well as public rallies to mark Labour Day.

Following are details of the public rallies, processions, and Police traffic plans for tomorrow (May 01); 

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The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has postponed a public rally that was to be held in Anuradhapura today due to uncertainty over the local government elections. 

SLPP MP S.M. Chandrasena stated that a decision was taken to postpone the public rally as the Court is set to issue its verdict on the election today. 

He further stated that the SLPP had planned to officially commence its first public election rally in Anuradhapura today.

“However, our party leaders held a discussion and decided it was better to hold the election after the court issues its decision. Therefore, we decided to move this rally to mid-March,” he said. 

MP Chandrasena said that the SLPP will show its power by organizing a mass public rally at the Salgado Grounds in Anuradhapura.

“Some people are claiming that the SLPP has fallen, they cannot hold a public rally, and they can’t go to their own hometowns. We will hold a mass public rally in Anuradhapura as a response to all those claims,” he added. (NewsWire) 

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