There was provocation for their protest

Number One who on an official visit to Nippon, got a jolt when a group of Sri Lankan Muslims domiciled in that country staged a demonstration opposite the hotel where he and his entourage checked in. It soon transpired the Muslim community had organized this demonstration to register their protest against the anti-Muslim riots that broke out in and around Kandy.

Number One immediately sent for the leaders of the demonstration and held a cordial discussion with them. 

Later a group of Sinhalese including some members of the Presidential delegation and several Buddhist monks met the leaders of the Muslim community in that country expressed their surprise at their sudden protest action.

Then the Muslim leaders had replied: “True, we wanted to express our concern over what happened in certain parts of the Kandy district. But what disturbed us most the news that a certain Buddhist monk leading an anti-Muslim militant organization has arrived in this country!”