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From October 16, 2026, a group of monks staged a satyagraha at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo demanding the release of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, with Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero among its leading voices. As the protest grew sharper, a short clip began circulating in which he appeared to threaten to split President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s head into seven pieces. Here are the posts that spread it.
Social Media Posts:
A 16-second reel posted on October 21, 2026, carried the captions “will split the President’s head into seven pieces” and “Balangoda Kassapa threatens the President”. One copy also carried the caption “We let him dance, that’s more than enough now.”
Another post shared the same clip under the headline “Death threat to the President from Kassapa Thero”.
Claim examined: Whether Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero threatened to split the President’s head into seven pieces.
Fact Check:
The clip was cut from a 4-minute video posted on Kassapa Thero’s own page
To check whether Kassapa Thero really said this, we searched for the source and found a full video, 4 minutes, and 43 seconds long, posted at 10:42 a.m. on October 21, 2026, on the “Ven Balangoda Kassapa” Facebook page. The original video is below.
In the full video, Kassapa Thero uses the phrase “head split into seven pieces” to describe a consequence that the gods may bring upon anyone who wrongs the Buddha Sasana. He does not say he will do anything of the kind himself. The circulating clip takes only part of the original video and removes the section explaining that consequence, so that he appears to be threatening the President.
His full statement on this point is below.
“We also tell this politician that Ven. Gnanasara must be released, or else you must be ready to go home, because we came to this place to win Ven. Gnanasara’s release, not to go back without a victory.
We have also told this matter to various gods, deities, and non-human beings. I saw that some irreligious and anti-Buddhist people had criticized our activities. They do not know the truth. On protecting the disciples of the Buddha, King Vessavana, chief of the Four Guardian Deities, has declared that if any yaksha harms a disciple of the Buddha, whether a monk, a nun, or a male or female lay follower, his head will split into seven pieces.
The President, and the 159 members of the government in Parliament, should take a look at this Atanatiya Sutta. It is stated clearly there.
So, the President must release Ven. Gnanasara without having his own head split into seven pieces. If this situation keeps getting more serious, and he does not release our Ven. Gnanasara despite the legal and constitutional provisions to do so, we will have to remove you and appoint a President who protects the Buddha Sasana. But we remind you again, we did not come to topple the government or change the President, but to secure the release of our brother, Ven. Gnanasara.”
“May your head split into seven pieces” is an ancient curse found in Buddhist literature. As told in the Vatthugatha of the Parayana Vagga in the Sutta Nipata, a begging Brahmin came to the ascetic Bavari and asked for money. When Bavari said he had no wealth, the Brahmin cursed him: “On the seventh day from today, may your head burst into seven pieces.” This is the story Kassapa Thero refers to.
Below is a comparison of the original video and the clipped version shared misleadingly on social media.
Kassapa Thero’s other strong statements against the President are real
Although this clip was edited and shared misleadingly, that does not mean Kassapa Thero made no strong statements against the President. On October 18, he said a different President might have to be appointed if Gnanasara Thero was not pardoned but added that there was no plan to topple the government and that the only demand was a pardon for Gnanasara Thero (Newswire).
On October 22, he said he had given the President a final notice to either resign or pardon Gnanasara Thero, and that the Sinhalese should be ready to sacrifice their lives to remove the President (Newswire).
After a tense situation at the park on the night of October 17, Kassapa Thero was admitted to hospital, and newspaper reports said protesters accused the police of assaulting him. The Police Media Spokesperson denied those claims. Details here, here and here.
The government has stated its position
Speaking in Badulla on October 18, the President said the government respects the decisions of the courts and that no decisions beyond them should be expected, as reported here. Presidential Legal Director W. M. Wijebandara said a pardon is not treated as a right and that no formal request for a pardon has been received, as reported here.
Update: The satyagraha was temporarily suspended on the evening of October 25 after the Mahanayake Theros of the three Nikayas agreed to intervene on Gnanasara Thero’s release, and the protesters left Viharamahadevi Park. Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thero announced the decision, and Kassapa Thero told the media it followed that assurance (Newswire, Colombo Times).
Read our earlier report on an AI image linked to the march for Gnanasara Thero’s release:
Photo of a huge crowd at the march for Gnanasara Thero’s release is AI-generated
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Conclusion:
The viral clip suggesting that Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero, speaking at the monks’ protest at Viharamahadevi Park for Gnanasara Thero’s release, said he would “split the President’s head into seven pieces” is misleading. It was cut from a full 4-minute 43-second video on his own Facebook page.
In the full video, he says King Vessavana, one of the Four Guardian Deities in Buddhist literature, declared that the head of any yaksha who harms a disciple of the Buddha will split into seven pieces, and that the President should therefore release Gnanasara Thero without letting his own head split. The circulating clip removes the part explaining why the head would split and was shared as if the Thero had threatened to split the President’s head himself.
