Opposition activists clash with police in Yerevan

Armenian opposition activists, led by the head of Yelk parliamentary bloc, Nikol Pashinyan, clashed minutes ago with riot police on Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan, several hundreds meters away from the parliament building. 

The opposition activists are building barricades with trash bins and benches. Many of the protesters raise their hands, demonstrating that they are unarmed.

The police put up shields and held out barbed wire trying not to let protesters move towards the parliament building. Police are pulling new forces to the scene, ARKA reported.

The police used tear gas and stun grenades, several protesters were injured. Nikol Pashinyan was also injured in the hands and face by barbed wire and was taken to hospital.

Earlier, Deputy chief of the Yerevan Police Department Valery Osipyan negotiated with the MPs and agreed to allow the opposition lawmakers to head to the parliament. However, Pashinyan began shouting that he will not go alone and that his supporters must also go through the lines.

The Armenian opposition have blockaded several streets and intersections in Yerevan today, continuing a protest action against the nomination of former President Serzh Sargsyan as candidate for prime minister of Armenia.