16 people detained at protest action in Yerevan

Today, in Yerevan, owners and employees of a cafe have blocked an avenue in protest against the demolition of catering enterprises. Law enforcers pushed the protesters away from the roadway, and 16 activists were brought to police stations.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that after the meeting with the owners and employees of cafes on Freedom Square, the Yerevan authorities did not abandon their intentions to dismantle the catering enterprises. According to the protesters, more than 200 people will lose their jobs as a result of the demolition of the cafes.

On March 13, workers began to dismantle the inner area around the Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet. Officials from the City Mayoralty explained that the buildings on the territory were constructed without permission from the authorities and the territory would be landscaped.

Today, the workers have begun to dismantle a cafe on Freedom Square, and that provoked a spontaneous protest. Employees of the cafe refused to leave their workplaces, and one of the protesters climbed onto the roof of the cafe and announced, according to him, his "sedentary picket."

Employees of the catering enterprises blocked Mashtots Avenue in protest, and the traffic on that section of the road was suspended.

The police managed to push the protesters away from the roadway to the sidewalk and restore the traffic in Mashtots Avenue. According to the police, 16 people were brought to police stations.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on March 14, 2019 at 01:57 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.