Colombo: Tens of thousands of Opposition activists poured to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on March 10 to protest against the government's peace bid with Tamil Tiger rebels.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga's People's Alliance (PA) joined hands with the Marxist Janata Vimukti Peramuna, or People's Liberation Front, to organise the protest aimed at pressurising the government to stop peace moves with the Tiger rebels.

Interior Minister John Amaratunga said security was strengthened with guards posted near key private and public institutions ahead of the rally as there was information that the demonstrators would try to attack Tamil people and their property.

"I have asked the inspector-general to take all measures necessary to prevent any violence," Amaratunga said.

Though the police put the number of people participating in the rally at 25,000 to 30,000, the organisers said upto 1,00,000 people took part in the protest demonstrations. The PA and the JVP had earlier promised to bring half a million people to the city.

Most schools were closed and office workers went home early fearing trouble in the city, police said, adding many people took advantage of the rally and went back home early to watch the cricket match between Sri Lanka and India, the police said.

Police reinforcements had been brought to Colombo earlier on March 10.

PTI