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OPPOSITION ORGANIZES FIRST MASS EVENT AFTER LIFTING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
March 21, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 21, the first day of lifting
the state of emergency, as it was envisaged, the opposition organized a
mass event. Several dozens of people, who had gathered in the territory
of Northern Avenue near Terian street, made an attempt to put lighting
candles near the monument to Arno Babajanian to commemorate the
victims of the March 1 events in Yerevan. However the Police that
had surrounded Liberty Square drove the people back hindering their
act. As of 17:00, nearly 2000 supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian,
who had gathered in Northern Avenue, made a slow procession towards
Miasnikian Square. "A mourning chain" composed of several hundreds
of people is standing near Republic Square. People have brought the
photos of the arrested and lit candles.
Shahumian and Miasnikian Squares were surrounded by policemen armed
with clubs and shields. Reaching Miasnikian Square and seeing that
standing there is dangerous, the demonstrants turned towards Mashtots
Avenue walking slowly in the direction of Liberty Square. However,
Police cars appeared near the maternity hospital, which warned the
demonstrants for several times that the event is illegal and called
them for leaving the place. Then the Police closed Mashtots Avenue
blocking the further movement of the demonstrants.
The demonstrants' attempts to cut their way through the blockade
gave no result. In some places, as a result of the fights between
the demonstrants and the Police the latter used electric shock,
several people were arrested, some evaded arrest thanks to women
taking part in the procession. At the moment part of the people has
left by Sarian street and Police are driving back the other part to
the closed market in Mashtots Avenue. At 18:30 there were a great
number of policemen in the above mentioned part of Mashtots Avenue.
Noyan Tapan
March 21, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 21, the first day of lifting
the state of emergency, as it was envisaged, the opposition organized a
mass event. Several dozens of people, who had gathered in the territory
of Northern Avenue near Terian street, made an attempt to put lighting
candles near the monument to Arno Babajanian to commemorate the
victims of the March 1 events in Yerevan. However the Police that
had surrounded Liberty Square drove the people back hindering their
act. As of 17:00, nearly 2000 supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian,
who had gathered in Northern Avenue, made a slow procession towards
Miasnikian Square. "A mourning chain" composed of several hundreds
of people is standing near Republic Square. People have brought the
photos of the arrested and lit candles.
Shahumian and Miasnikian Squares were surrounded by policemen armed
with clubs and shields. Reaching Miasnikian Square and seeing that
standing there is dangerous, the demonstrants turned towards Mashtots
Avenue walking slowly in the direction of Liberty Square. However,
Police cars appeared near the maternity hospital, which warned the
demonstrants for several times that the event is illegal and called
them for leaving the place. Then the Police closed Mashtots Avenue
blocking the further movement of the demonstrants.
The demonstrants' attempts to cut their way through the blockade
gave no result. In some places, as a result of the fights between
the demonstrants and the Police the latter used electric shock,
several people were arrested, some evaded arrest thanks to women
taking part in the procession. At the moment part of the people has
left by Sarian street and Police are driving back the other part to
the closed market in Mashtots Avenue. At 18:30 there were a great
number of policemen in the above mentioned part of Mashtots Avenue.