Armenian police disperse action of protest in downtown Yerevan

YEREVAN, June 23. /TASS/. Police in Armenia’s capital Yerevan dispersed a sit-down action of protest on the downtown Marshal Bagramian Avenue against the rise of fees for electricity.

With the aid of strong jets from water cannons the police crews forced the protesters to clear the place in front of writers’ club on Bagramian Avenue and move towards the National Opera House where the protest actions started a few days ago. Detentions among the participants were made.

Interior officials said more than once prior to dispersal that the demonstrators’ actions were illegitimate.

“Your actions are unlawful,” Colonel Valery Osipyan, a deputy chief of the city police said in his public notices to the protesters. “The police demand that these actions be stopped immediately.”

“Otherwise police units will use brute force and specialized equipment permitted by law and perpetrators of violations of public law and orders will be brought to responsibility,” he said.