Defend Dance: statement

Last night at 1:00 am, the RA police force unleashed an unspeakable horror on our beloved home, Poligraf. The raid was illegal and all those at the club, staff and visitors alike, were subjected to brutality, humiliation, and trauma. It’s difficult to put into words just how much this heinous violation of our rights has affected us all. We demand justice for everyone who has been harmed or traumatized as a result of this reprehensible act.

But it’s not just the individuals who were directly impacted by the raid who have suffered. The entire club community is at risk, and the very foundation of our society is at stake. The raid represents an attack on dance, on creativity, on diversity, and on inclusion. Poligraf is a space where people can come together, dance, connect, and share their experiences. Our club creates a vibrant and dynamic cultural scene that benefits not just our society, but the economy as well. If we do not take immediate action, we risk losing this essential cultural hub forever.

We cannot allow the forces that seek to suppress our way of life to win. They want to silence our voices, suffocate our creativity, and impose their narrow-minded worldview on us. We must act now. It is up to other institutions, artists, musicians, writers, dancers and anyone who values creativity and diversity to join us and sign this petition in demand for the State of Armenia to open the doors of Poligraf.

Poligraf team