Epress.am News from Armenia
At around 5 pm local time in Yerevan today, a planned march with activists wearing Guy Fawkes masks ended a few minutes after it begun — with the detention of dozens of activists.
When marchers began to move from Liberty Square to Mashtots Avenue, explosions went off. The Epress.am correspondent on the scene was unable to determine who threw the explosives. According to police, activists threw the explosives, while the latter said there were several provocateurs in place.
Ahead of today's march, political figure, Tseghakron party chair Shant Harutyunyan said [AM] he's prepared for revolution. He said he doesn't want bloodshed, and if the authorities leave voluntarily, he is willing to give them roses or carnations.
Harutyunyan also earlier announced that he and his supporters don't have guns: though they have sticks and Molotov cocktails, he said, they are not preparing to attack anyone if they are not provoked.
"People should have the opportunity to express themselves, and there should not be mayhem in this country. Until the authorities don't leave, until [Armenian President] Serzh [Sargsyan] doesn't leave Armenia, this country won't stand on its feet," he had said.
At around 5:10 pm, the police detained Shant Harutyunyan and several of his supporters. Afterwards, police forces surrounded Liberty Square, prohibited the free movement of people, and obstructed the work of journalists.
Police began to detain anyone on the scene. Among those detained were activist Vilen Gabrielyan. According to preliminary reports, also detained are Liparit Petrosyan, Alen Simonyan, Vahagn Minasyan, Karen Harutyunyan, Vrezh Zatikyan, David Harutyunyan, David Gevorgyan, and Garik Yavrumyan.