A protest conducted by students of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, was dispersed by police using tear gas at Ward Place yesterday.The police used tear gas and water cannons when the protestors tried to enter the Higher Education Ministry premises to hand over a document to the Higher Education Minister Prof. Wiswa Warnapala.

According to university sources the students have conducted this protest against the Higher Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission demanding the granting of several demands including hostel facilities, inadequate academic and non-academic staff, educational equipment deficiency, facilities for libraries and lecture rooms etc.

Finally the Higher Education Minister held a discussion with the student’ representatives and the Minister promised to fulfil some of the demands with immediate effect.

A gate pillar of the Higher Education Ministry was damaged by the protestors.

Sources said patients in a ward of the Colombo General Hospital had been removed due to the police tear gas attack after they suffered the effects of the tear gas.

Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/08/02/news26.asp

(Note: If you wonder, the image shows the molecule of the main component of tear gas. Those who have studied Organic Chemistry can easily identify the Carbon and Hydrogen atoms and of course the Benzene ring. The Blue and Green atoms should be Nitrogen and Oxygen.)