Viraj Mendis (died 16 August 2024) was a Sri Lankan national who claimed the right of sanctuary at the Church of the Ascension in Hulme, Manchester, England during the 1980s.
In late 1988 his supporters were invited to address an assembly at Burnage High School where pupils were encouraged to enlist the help of parents to his cause.
One parent took exception to this and contacted the Manchester Evening News, and the story was then picked up on by The Daily Telegraph; shortly after Mendis was removed.
On 18 January 1989 police raided the church and arrested Mendis, which led to a large demonstration and questions in the House of Commons.
[5] In 2018 Mendis' organisation concluded a successful campaign to defend 13 activists, 12 of them Tamil, against charges of "fraud, false documentation, money laundering and extortion".