Stepan Safaryan: Movement did not die
There were provocateurs in the rows of protesters gathered at Freedom Square during Raffi Hovannisian's ‘inauguration of a new Armenia', as well as during the ensuing march to Armenian Genocide Memorial at Tsitsernakaberd, says Stepan Safaryan, a member of Hovannisian's Heritage Party.
Talking to reporters on Wednesday, Safaryan said the provocateurs had mingled with the crowd to divert their attention and incite clashes.
"Yesterday, at Freedom Square, provocateurs pushed through the crowd, trying to incite people and calling for bloodshed. Those people had been sent in order to give guidance to different groups. One of them was under the influence of alcohol," Safaryan said.
Speaking about the future success of Hovannisian-led BAREVolution, the Heritage representative said the movement will follow its course.
"I do not think that the movement died out on April 9. On the contrary, I do believe that April 9 marked the beginning of a process which will be painful for the authorities. Those who think that the movement is dead are deluded," he said.
Safaryan thinks that the agenda of the movement will undergo changes following yesterday's clashes between the security forces and protesters. At the same time, he admits that Raffi Hovannisian cannot lead the movement for a long time unless he achieves results.
Speaking about the clashes, the Heritage secretary said that the march was not planned in advance. "The people gathered at Freedom Square wanted to conduct the march and Hovannisian met their request."
"However, wth the whole crowd cordoned off, different groups remained blocked in their places. Some of the protesters remained in Baghramyan Avenue. Raffi Hovannisian did not leave people alone. Simply a group of protesters did not listen to him and march to Tsitsernakaberd. Part of the hardliners did not want to join the marchers. Andrias Ghukasyan, a former presidential candidate, and a group of protesters did not join us and tried to split the demonstrators.
The Heritage representative says new developments are waiting in the future. "We shall witness a movement impregnated with a different political context," he concluded.
