YEREVAN. – Different kinds of cold weapons have been found in the possession of people that were protesting, on Tuesday at Baghramian Avenue in capital city Yerevan, the decision to raise the price of electricity in Armenia (PHOTOS).
The Deputy Chief of Police of Armenia, Hunan Poghosyan, told about the aforementioned to reporters on Wednesday.
“In addition to the visible work, the Police [also] conduct invisible work,” said Poghosyan. “As a result of yesterday’s [i.e. Tuesday’s] invisible work, awls, [and] knives were found in people’s possession, [and] which could have been used against both the demonstrators and the police.”
The protestors are at Baghramian Avenue for well over the past fifteen hours.
The “No to Plunder” initiative had unexpectedly announced, during the June 19 rally against the increase in the price of electricity, that they were starting a three-day sit-in at Liberty Square in downtown capital city Yerevan, and giving the authorities deadline until 7pm Monday, June 22. They stated that if the electricity price-hike decision was not canceled by then, they will head towards the Office of the President, which is located on Baghramian Avenue. Once the deadline had expired, the demonstrators marched towards the avenue. The police, however, blocked Baghramian Avenue, and subsequently, a sit-in was staged on the avenue. On early Tuesday morning, however, the police dispersed the demonstration by using water cannon, and detained many activists and journalists, including an Armenian News-News.am reporter.
As a result of the clash, eighteen people sought medical assistance in hospitals, and 237 people were detained. A criminal case on charges of hooliganism has been launched.
On Tuesday evening, however, the sit-in participants marched toward the Office of the President yet again and with a larger crowd, and the police blocked their way again. This time MPs and representatives of show business also joined the ongoing protest action, and they formed a human wall between the police and the demonstrators. Some of them even spent the night at Baghramian Avenue.
Despite numerous protests, the Public Services Regulatory Commission increased the price of electricity in Armenia, and this decision will take effect on August 1. The decision, however, is expected to be followed by an increase in the prices of numerous products and services in the country.
