In the evening of July 29th, the organisers of the demonstration in the Liberty Square had decided to march through Tumanyan-Abovyan-Pushkin-Vardanants-Nar-Dos-Khorenatsi Streets. However, during the march some of the participants of the demonstration, changing the chosen route, had broken into the police chain at the crossroads of Nar-Dos-Aghyusagortsner Streets, had marched through Sari Tagh 3rd row and had been divided into 2 groups. In the end of the Glinka Street the demonstrators were led by Andreas Ghukasyan and Davit Hovhannisyan. As for the second group, it was led by Armen Martirosyan, Zaruhi Postanjyan, and Levon Barseghyan near the former hospital for acute infections.
In the beginning, the actual organizers of the march had announced that they wanted to enter the area of the Police Patrol Service Regiment, and afterwards they had attempted to break through the security zone defended by the police chain. Meanwhile, shots had been fired from the area of the Police Patrol Service Regiment in the direction of the police officers in Sari Tagh, as a result of which a servant of the police forces had been received a gunshot wound and means of transport had been damaged.
The Police held discussions with the organizers of the demonstration, urging them to stop the violent activities and abandon the area. They set a reasonable deadline for them. However, the participants ignored the demands of the police. What is more, they had undertaken new aggressive and provocative actions.
Estimating the current situation, especially taking into account the actual danger for the lives and the health of the participants of the demonstration and police officers, as well as the real chances that the participants could break into the area of the Police Patrol Service Regiment and seize the large quantities of weapons and ammunition kept there, the police had to undertake special measures to prevent mass disorders. Furthermore, before the measures were undertaken the participants had received a warning, and the representatives of the media had been urged to keep safety distance.
When the police carried out necessary activities appropriate to the behavior of the participants, clashes took place, as a result of which, unfortunately, police officers, participants of the demonstration and media representatives were injured. They have all been taken to the hospital.
Based on the reports regarding the alleged violations towards the participants of the demonstration and media representatives, a service investigation has been initiated by the order of the Chief of Police.
The Police of the RA states again that the illegal gatherings and criminal activities organized by the armed group in the blocked area of the Khorenatsi Street and the neigbouring areas regularly create situations fraught with unpredictable consequences. Therefore, the only possible way to prevent the health and life danger for the participants of the demonstration, as well as the commitment of new crimes, is taking the demonstration to another place.
To ensure citizens’ sefety, the police urges once again to refrain from adventurism, avoid organizing marches to the zone that is under special control and avoid creating extra difficulties for the law enforcement bodies.
At the same time, we warn that in case of disobeying the above-mentioned demands and committing new offenses, all the permissible and equivalent measures stipulated by the legislation of the RA will be implemented.
