YEREVAN (Yerkir)—On March 14, police raided a peaceful environmental protest at Yerevan’s Mashdots Park and forcibly dispersed the protesters.
According to eyewitness accounts, the police—which numbered in the hundreds—ran into the park and raided the tents, pushing and shoving those gathered.
“They pulled one of the protesters from the tent and dragged him out. His eyeglasses fell and he could not see anything in the dark,” said one eyewitness.
The activists had gathered to protest government environmental policies and abuses. When the police entered the park, they were talking and drinking tea.
The right to assemble and to express yourself is a fundamental element of democracy. These protesters are bringing needed balance the evolution of a truly free society in addition to being the voice of the environment. In an economically stressed nation finding a balance between building an economic future and protecting the environment is a challenge that requires diverse voices.