There is Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol, and then there are actual insurrections.
In Sri Lanka, protesters stormed the residences of the country's prime minister and president as the nation's economy collapsed. Both officials resigned.
In the Netherlands, farmers are rebelling against what they say is a tyrannical government whose overreach, particularly on environmental dictates, is devastating their livelihoods.
In Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took office in May, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agreed to resign amid mounting pressure from protesters who stormed both their residences and set fire to one of them, reports say.
The Sri Lankan government has run out of money to pay for food and fuel, is short of cash to pay for imports of such necessities, and is defaulting on its debt. It is seeking help from neighboring India and China and from the International Monetary Fund.
Sri Lanka's inflation hit 54.6% in June.
"Tropical Sri Lanka normally is not lacking for food, but people are going hungry. The U.N. World Food Program says nearly nine of 10 families are skipping meals or otherwise skimping to stretch out their food, while 3 million are receiving emergency humanitarian aid," The Associated Press reported on July 9. "Doctors have resorted to social media to try to get critical supplies of equipment and medicine. Growing numbers of Sri Lankans are seeking passports to go overseas in search of work. Government workers have been given an extra day off for three months to allow them time to grow their own food."
Video footage of Sri Lankan protesters taking over President's office in Colombo
📸 Buddi U Chandrasiri pic.twitter.com/FINwaaqUat — NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) July 9, 2022
Farmers in the Netherlands, meanwhile, formed their own version of Canada’s "Freedom Convoy," blocking highways with tractors, spraying manure on government buildings, and setting bales of hay on fire to protest the government’s recent mandate to cut emissions that farmers say could force some farms to shutter.
"Where is our prime minister? This country is on fire and the farmers are standing up to the government," a spokesman for the protests said while standing on top of a hay bale in the town of Eerbeek, the Guardian reported.
Roughly 40,000 protesters gathered in central Netherlands to protest plans announced last month to curb the emissions of nitrogen and ammonia, Fox News reported.
Farmers say they are being unfairly targeted by the government mandates while other industries, such as aviation, construction and transportation, are also contributing to emissions and face fewer rules.
Rebel news has been at the forefront of reporting on the protests in the Netherlands while U.S. legacy media highlights a fact check which found some outlets used a photo from a previous farmer protest.
Scenes from Roermond yesterday where the Dutch farmers continue their protest against the agenda 2030 green policies.
MORE: https://t.co/4Ufq8bx8Qhpic.twitter.com/BHj7rS8T0d — Lewis Brackpool (@Lewis_Brackpool) July 10, 2022
Dutch farmers confront local politicians: "I have learned in life: take your responsibilites, every choice you make has consequences you should be a man enough to take your responsibilities." (1/2)
MORE: https://t.co/AgMVWCWret pic.twitter.com/57hm6p5R83 — Lewis Brackpool (@Lewis_Brackpool) July 7, 2022
Free Press International
