Protests have turned violent after the Sri Lankan government imposed a curfew to control public unrest caused by the country’s economic crisis. Social media has been blocked, saying the situation could provoke in escalating violence.

A state of emergency was declared amid widespread protests, blocking access to platforms including Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram. The Defense Ministry said the ban is only temporary.

Youth and Sports Minister Namal Rajapakse has said that the ban on socila media will never be forgiven.