The participants of the opposition rally protesting against Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan have caused chaos on Arshakunyats Avenue, which connects the south of the Yerevan with the center, Armenian media reported.
The drivers left their cars in the middle of the road, creating traffic jams. Vehicles were evacuated to the parking lot, some of them - with their owners. It is reported that several motorists were taken to the police station, which caused the opposite effect - new motorists have started to join the rally.
In this regard, police officers warned protesters that force and special means could be used to prevent attempts to block roads.
There is a large number of police officers on Arshakunyats Avenue now, Interfax reports.
Earlier it was reported that 37 people were detained at 9:00 (10:00 Moscow time), but as of 15:30 (14:30 Moscow time) the number of detained reached 183 people, head of the Armenia Police Media and Public Relations Department Ashot Aharonyan said.
Leader of the Civil Contract opposition party Nikol Pashinyan thanked the Armenian communities of Russia and the United States for their support of the protesters. "I want to especially note the Armenian diaspora of Russia and the US, they are the most active, since they are the most numerous," he said, explaining that the people's "velvet revolution" is a process, which includes both residents of Armenia and representatives of the diaspora.
Mass rallies broke out in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 16 following former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s nomination as prime minister. On April 17, Armenia’s parliament elected Sargsyan prime minister. On April 19, opposition members tried to disrupt the new cabinet of ministers’ meeting, blocking entrances to government facilities and marching down Yerevan streets.
