Police officer invites demonstrators to his place

The policemen at Yerevan municipality did not allow the crowd protesting the mayor's recent decision to ban street trade to continue their protest outside the presidential palace.

The protesters, about 30 people, gathered at the park outside the Mayor's Office; there were twice as many policemen at the site.
The deputy head of the Police State Protection Service, Khachik Avetisyan, followed the protesters to Saryan Street where they told them to end the demonstration. But the crowd wouldn't obey the command.

"Why do you follow us? Let us make our voices heard," they told policemen.

"They prevent us from working. How will we survive?" they were yelling.

The policemen promised the protesters to allow their rally on Monday, saying that today's gathering was impossible as there were foreign guests in Armenia (the Georgian president is arriving in Armenia – Tert.am).

The people were particularly infuriated by the municipal authorities offer to wait for a month until they could decide on proper place for trade.

"How can we live a month without a job?" they were asking.

"Well, let's go to my place," Avetisyan replied to them, half jokingly.

Under the police pressure, the crowd eventually broke up. They agreed to meet outside the Presidential Office Monday noon.
Some of the protesters who had, nonetheless, managed to get there said the area was being controlled by a great number of policemen.