On
March 15 a group of citizens concerned with the problem of Mashtots Park
gathered in front of the Government building to express their complaint that
the participants of the sit-down demonstration were obstructed by the police
and removed from the park.

When
the activists announced they would start a sit-down demonstration in case of
not fulfilling their demand to dismantle the boutiques, the fences which were
removed after March 8 again appeared in the park.

“During
the sit-down demonstration the activists needed a shelter so one tent was put
not in the street or somewhere which would obstruct the movement of people.
Besides there is no law or by-law which prohibits putting a tent in a public
park” says the participant of the demonstration Grigor Ghazaryan.

On
March 13 the activists put a tent.

“The
policemen cited that the tent wasn’t included in the items needed for the
action.  Nevertheless, we said by the
initial arrangement that there would be one tent and they agreed there wouldn’t
be more than one tent and the activists satisfied with it and spent night in it
in turns. During the action a lot of people joint and maybe it caused a concern
that the movement was becoming stronger and the second day in the evening
without warning they came nearer from both sides, pulled out, pushed each other
and tore the tent to pieces” tells Grigor Ghazaryan.

On
March 13 at around 9:30 pm the police demanded from the citizens in the tent to
dismantle the tent.

According
to the participants of the action there was an attempt to distract the
activists’ attention through the shouts of some young men in the back side of
boutiques, after which more than 100 policemen ran to the tent and destroyed it
instead of dealing with the problem of those who broke the public order. Grigor
Ghazaryan added that after such an act the police noted that the activists
could go to the police and take back the tent with the corresponding petition.

On
March 14 the police disseminated a statement mentioning that “the placing tents
and such like items in public places are forbidden and the police tolerated it
to prevent the aggravation of the situation” and after not fulfilling the
demand of police they got down to dismantling it.

The
activists describe this step of police as “the cheapest and low step when organizing
a performance they attack the participants of peaceful meeting and when their
number was much less than the number of policemen.”

The
policemen claim that they should inform the police about the sit-down
demonstration beforehand while the activists claim they have made a statement
on starting a sit-down demonstration and putting a tent which is in the frames
of the RA Constitution and doesn’t break any law. “But as we see we met the
violent actions of the RA policemen. They claim we do not have right to put
tents” mention the activists.

To
the question whether it was announced about destroying the tent beforehand one
of the policemen answered that a common statement was disseminated in the park
after which they took the corresponding steps. But the activists mention the
policemen acted without making announcement.

To
add, during the demonstration the activists cited the announcement made by the
RA Human Rights Defender according to which taking away the tent by the police
put during the sit-down demonstration at Mashtots Park is not a legal action
and the activists have a right to put a tent.

After
finishing their demonstration near the Government building the activists moved
to the park where they were met by 60 policemen. Although the activists have
stopped the sit-down demonstration they will continue their struggle demanding an immediate dismantling of the boutiques.

Sofya Manukyan