Live: Police start 'clearing' Khorenatsi street and Sari Tagh district: Numerous people detained (video)
23.30 Plainclothes police officers have attacked citizens in Sari Tagh street, beating everyone on their way, including journalists. Three journalists of Azatutyun.am - Karlen Aslanyan, Hovannes Movsisyan and Garik Harutyunyan -were attacked and beaten up by a large group of plainclothes men. A1+’s journalist, Robert Ananyan, was also injured. Police used what appeared to be tear gas and flash grenades to disperse the crowds on both venues. Police chased citizens as they retreated towards downtown Yerevan, arresting everyone in sight.
22.49 After several warnings that the rally on Khorenatsi street was not authorized, police began detaining citizens gathered there. Part of the citizens ran away in fear while others were detained by police officers. At present, the policemen are returning to their initial positions. In the meantime, three explosions were heard from the area of the seized police station.
Also, Armen Ashotyan was detained from Sari Tagh.
22.13 The situation is very tense in Sari Tagh district where the police forces have reached demonstrators. There is smoke everywhere. The police are advancing. Explosions are heard everywhere. Part of demonstrators are now on Khorenatsi street, while others stay in Sari Tagh street. Armen Martirosyan urges people to stay in Sari Tagh and avoid provocations. Chief of the Yerevan Police, Ashot Karapetyan, has given demonstrators in Sari Tagh five minutes to descend to Khorenatsi street and join demonstrators there.
Karapetyan said that Sari Tagh is dangerous for citizens because gunshots were fired around the police compound which is located below. Armen Martirosyan has asked women to go back from the front lines.21.53 Explosions are heard on Khorenatsi steet from the area leading to the seized patrol police station.
21.44 From time to time, the police tried to prevent the marchers from reaching Khorenatsi street but the demonstrators were able to break through the police cordon. On the way, they changed the previously announced route and headed to Sari Tagh
21.13 The demonstrators had to march through Pushkin street as the police had blocked Abovyan street. One of the citizens offered Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police, Valeri Osipyan to join people. In reply to the woman, Osipyan said ‘the police are always with people.’ 20.36 The short rally at Liberty Square was followed by a march to Khorenatsi street. Yeghishe Perosyan, a member of the Anti-crisis group, conveyed the appeal of the Sasna Dzrer group members, who urge residents to hold actions in their yards, communities and towns. Yeghishe Perosyan urged the ralliers to start the march observing public order and without blasphemy against anyone. At present, the ralliers are marching through Yerevan streets chanting, “Pavik” and “Sasna Dzrer.”
