Defenders of Mashtots Park in Yerevan start dismantling kiosks

On April 15, the initiative group named "Brigade", consisting of public figures and activists, who oppose the construction in the park, began the demolition of kiosks in the Mashtots Park in Yerevan.

"We'll do our best and everything possible to stop the lawlessness in the public place," said Andreas Gukasyan, a political scientist and a member of the initiative group.

Let us remind you that on March 31 the group "Brigade" gathered in the park aiming to start dismantling the kiosks. At that time, the trade pavilions were fenced off and cordoned by policemen. On April 1, the "Brigade" announced a round-the-clock protest action until the problem was resolved in favour of the defenders of the park.

As of April 15, the ten members of the "Brigade" were reinforced by 50 public leaders; and they formed six teams. "Every day we are more and more; while the policemen guarding the kiosks in the park are getting fewer. They understand quite well the seriousness of our intentions," said Manvel Sarkisyan, the director of the Armenian Centre for Strategic Studies and a member of the "Brigade".

According to the activists, on April 15, as it was pre-planned by them, began their intrusion into the territory of the kiosks. Policemen treated their actions as illegal and drove all the activists outside the private property.

The People's Artist Lala Mneyan joined the "Brigade" on April 2 and is a member of the third team. "It was funny, when the police brought me out of the kiosks with the words: 'Woman, you trample on and destroy the lawn.' But none of them think about the fact that earlier they had covered the same lawn with concrete," said Lala Mneyan. She believes that the police, instead of making such remarks, should have from the very start "stopped the illegal actions of the city authorities."

In their turn, policemen said that they have nothing to add to the fact that "the actions of activists acquire illegal character and are subject to administrative punishment."