Police clear Khorenatsi street: several dozen people detained (video)
Police cleared Khorenatsi street in the early hours of Thursday several hours after clashes with demonstrators that had gathered to support an anti-government group occupying a police station in the same street. Police reportedly used smoke and concussion devices to disperse crowds gathered near the police building seized since Sunday by the group calling itself Sasna Dzrer. Before the operation which started at about 4.30 a.m., police had announced twice that the demonstration was illegitimate and urged citizens to open the street barricaded with garbage bins. Several of the protesters were punched and kicked while being dragged away by police officers. Armenian lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook post that Arayik Harutyunyan and Vilen Gabrielyan from his Civil Contract Party were detained with some 15 party members. Pashinyan himself was at the scene during the operation and tried to prevent more bloodshed. The precise number of the detainees is not known yet.
