Police outnumbered demonstrators
Open-air vendors today staged another protest near Yerevan Municipality challenging the mayor's decision to ban street vending in capital streets. The protesters demanded a meeting with the mayor or his representative.
Meanwhile, the police cordoned off the area banning the protesters' advance.
Minutes later, desperate demonstrators broke through the chain and headed to the municipality to meet the city officials.
The protesters claim that the mayor's decision will leave 15000-20000 people jobless in Yerevan.
"Head of the Department for Trade and Services of the Yerevan Municipality said the order would not be enacted unless we were moved to a new market. But after the holiday we came to work to find our stalls dismantled without warning," said the demonstrators.
The vendors demand that the authorities provide them with normal working conditions and legal status.
Most of them were women above 60-70.
