A beauty pageant to select the first Miss Sri Lanka, held on Staten Island in New York, United States, ended in a general brawl last Friday (21).
Organizers created the competition to raise funds for the country’s national cancer hospital, which is suffering from a shortage of medicines and equipment amid an economic crisis. However, the event with 300 guests did not end as planned.
The confusion involved both men and women, who exchanged punches and kicks at the afterparty.
Videos of the fight went viral on social media. The recording shows a woman in confusion wearing a beauty pageant crown, but her identity is unclear. It is known that Angelia Gunasekara was crowned Miss Sri Lanka New York.
While it’s unclear what prompted the riot at the event, the altercation resulted in property damage and multiple arrests. Sri Lankans took to social media to express their disappointment at those involved, denouncing the behavior and saying it would tarnish the country’s image in the US.
One of the contest’s organizers, Sujani Fernando, told the New York Post that none of the contestants were involved in the confusion. This is because all 14 models would be inside the building while the combat was taking place outside.
Another beauty pageant in Sri Lanka ended in confusion last year. One attendee left the event in handcuffs after ripping the crown from another woman’s head. The reason given is that she did not deserve the award for her divorce, rule of the event regulations.