Police use force and water cannons to disperse protesters on Baghramyan Avenue
After hours of confrontation between riot police and protesters on Baghramyan Avenue police used water cannons and forcibly dispersed the demonstrators who came out to the streets to protest against electricity rate hikes. The situation continued to remain tense on the avenue during the night as neither the police nor the demonstrators wanted to budge. Police began operation at about 5:30 am after numerous warnings that the sit-in organized on the street was unlawful. First, civilian police officers began dragging protesters away, isolating them from the area, injuring and arresting numerous people. Then they used force and special means to clear the site of protesters. Within about 10 minutes the square was cleared and demonstrators were pushed to the area near the Opera House. Many were reportedly taken to police stations. Several news organizations had their equipment damaged during the operation. No casualties were reported. On Friday the activists of the No to Plunder initiative gave the Armenian authorities until Monday to revoke the decision of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) which decided [on June 17] to raise the current electricity tariffs by AMD 6,93. The group said if their demand to curb electricity rate hikes is not met by Monday evening they would march to the Presidential Palace to pose their demands there. Late on Monday, after three days of a sit-in in Liberty Square, they tried to march towards the presidential compound on Baghramyan Avenue, but stopped after encountering heavy police presence on the avenue. Eventually, they decided to continue the sit-in on the avenue, but the demonstration was dispersed in the the early hours on Tuesday after a night of standoff between the activists and riot police.
