WEAPONS, AMMUNITION SEIZED FROM OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATORS IN YEREVAN – POLICE SPOKESMAN

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 1, 2008 Saturday
Russia

A large amount of weapons and ammunition were seized from Freedom
Square in Yerevan, where the opposition stayed in a tent city for
several days, Armenian police spokesman Sayat Shirinian said at a
press conference in Yerevan.

"We received information that the weapons were to be distributed on
Freedom Square, after which we decided to start a check," Shirinian
said.

The people who stayed on the square offered active resistance to
police, Shirinian said. In particular, they threw stones and bottles
at policemen and used metal bars and stabbing objects, he said.

"Facing resistance, police decided to start dispersing the
demonstrators," he said.

More than 20 demonstrators have been detained and more people are
wanted, Shirinian said. An investigation has been launched, he said.

Police displayed the weapons and ammunition that the demonstrators
supposedly used to resist, including pistols, grenades, batons,
metal bars, and Molotov cocktails.