YEREVAN. – The police took hold of the tents of the sit-in activists across the Armenian capital city Yerevan Municipality building, the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs from the location (PHOTOS).

The activists wanted to pitch these tents in front of the building where they are continuing their sit-in. 

Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Valeri Osipyan stated that they took this action along the lines of preventive measures, and he promised to have the tents returned later.   

Osipyan also promised to the sit-in participants that umbrellas will be distributed to them.  

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the activists were attempting to pitch a tent across the city hall building, whereas the law enforcement was not permitting this action. Also, activist Argishti Kiviryan is detained. Valeri Osipyan announced that all those who try to pitch a tent will be detained and brought to account. A woman even fainted during the scuffle between the activists and the police. 

To note, the activists—who are on the seventh day of their sit-in—have several demands, which include the dismissals of Municipality Transport Department Chief Henrik Navasardyan and Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak Hambardzumyan.     

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Yerevan Municipality recent decision to increase the public transport fares in the city had brought about outbursts, several groups were formed in the social networks, and the initiatives were staging protests and distributing pamphlets against this decision. In addition, the Free Car initiative was launched, along the lines of which Armenia’s numerous well-known personalities, MPs, and ordinary residents were providing—with their own vehicles—free transportation to the people.

And on July 25, Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the decision on the fare hike; but the wave of the aforesaid movement is still alive. The activists demand that the persons, who made the decision on raising the transport fares, be brought to account, and those officials, who used violence against and cursed at the activists, be punished.                     

Photos by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am