The monks and several laypersons staged a protest, preventing the prison bus from leaving the court premises with the Thera.

One monk, Kirama Devinda, threatened to set himself ablaze.

Later, Gnanasara Thera spoke to the protestors and asked for calm.

Uduwe Dhammaloka, Muruttuwe Ananda, Omare Kassapa and Daranagama Kusaladhamma Theras came to the scene to speak to the protestors.

Shame for Buddhists

Meanwhile, prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that all should respect the judiciary, and abide by the law.

Buddhists should be ashamed of the conduct of a group of monks at the Homagama magistrate’s court complex, he said.

Robe too, is under the law

Lawyers Collective coordinator, senior lawyer J.C. Weliamuma, at a media briefing near the Hulftsdorp court complex, condemned the court incident.

Just because one is wearing a robe, he cannot challenge the supremacy of the law, he noted, and urged the attorney general and the IGP to strictly deal with monks who did so.

It is a contempt of court if someone addresses courts in the same manner of speaking at a political platform or does street talk, he said.

Contempt of court

Gnanasara Thera is accused of disrupting a court hearing yesterday, and was ordered arrested.

He surrendered to Homagama police today and was produced before the magistrate’s court, which remanded him until February 09.

Statement made by Gnanasara Thera before his arrest: