The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has ignored protests by the Sri Lankan government about its recent updates to travel advice over security on the island and has added further warnings.

After the recent convictions of French tourists over pictures that were taken with statues of Buddha, the foreign office advice now warns against posing in front of statues.

“You should avoid posing for photographs standing in front of a statue of Buddha. The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is a serious offence and tourists have been convicted for posing for such photos,” the travel advice now reads.

In its last update to the travel advisory for Sri Lanka, the foreign office warned of an ‘upsurge in nationalism’ and asked British tourists to be extra vigilant of ‘anti-western sentiment’.

External affairs minister GL Peiris protested about the warnings to the British High Commission in Colombo.

Sri Lanka Travel Advice - Foreign and Commonwealth Office