Protesters in Liberty Square dispersed

2008-03-01 08:49:00

ArmInfo. Armenian Special Services officers dispersed the opposition
rally led by the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan earlier
in the morning on March 1. ArmInfo correspondent on the spot reports
that Special Services troops have surrounded the Liberty Square. The
traffic in the city center is blocked. Journalists are not allowed to
the Liberty Square. Law- enforcers are currently removing the tents of
the protesters from the square. Witnesses say police applied batons,
electric jolts and other special means. All this resulted in mess in
the square. By unofficial data, hundreds of people were harmed. It is
noteworthy that approximately at 7:00am Levon Ter-Petrosyan informed
the protesters of the possible dispersal and urged them not to panic,
stay in the place and do not conflict with the police. After the
dispersal, the ex-president was let. The ex-president demanded the
police a relevant order for the dispersal of demonstration. He is
still in the square. A large group of people is near the square area
and protests against the actions of law-enforcers.

The action of protest lasted 10 days from February 20. President
of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, the Police and the Municipality had
repeatedly warned the protesters that their action is illegal and
application of force is possible. However, protesters ignored these
warnings.