News - Police are impounding demonstrators' cars from Yerevan Republic Square

The police are impounding the protesters' vehicles from Republic Square, the heart of Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. A scuffle started between the police and the protesters after the police told the participants of the Tavush for the Homeland movement, led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, to cross the road. Several people were detained as a result. The aforesaid movement has started an action of civil disobedience at Republic Square, and there is a large police force there. Armed with shields, they have formed a human wall in several rows and closed off the part leading to the back of the main government building. There are police forces also on the other sides of the government building. In addition, there are many police at the park adjacent to the government building. Archbishop Galstanyan had announced as follows Wednesday evening: "Tomorrow morning at 10:30, we are entering Republic Square in front of the government building with cars from all sides. If the police officers do not allow us, we leave the car and walk to the government building. It is very important to come, and I invite those without a car to come on foot. I invite all of you who want to do feats and heroism. This son of man [i.e. PM Nikol Pashinyan] shall have no rest in this country." A regular Cabinet meeting of the government is underway at the main government building. The protests and civil disobedience actions, led by the Tavush for the Homeland movement, started in Armenia after it became known on April 19 that Armenia and Azerbaijan had agreed to start border delimitation at Tavush Province of Armenia. Leading a respective march of protest from Tavush to Yerevan on May 9, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, leader of this movement and then Primate of the Diocese of Tavush of the Armenian Apostolic Church, called on PM Nikol Pashinyan to resign.