YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Street protests in Armenia against a hike in electricity prices, which have been roiling the capital for nearly two weeks, are the most serious unrest the Caucasus nation has seen in years. The protests are continuing despite the president’s decision to suspend the price rise.
Armenia is allied closely with Russia, where some fear the protests could follow the pattern of massive demonstrations in Ukraine that swept a pro-Moscow president from power last year. The action organizers, however, describe it as a purely social protest and strongly deny affiliation with any political forces. Here is a look at the main factors in the demonstrations:
PROTEST TACTICS
The organizers have relied on social networks to rally the crowds, and their hashtag #ElectricYerevan quickly became a hit on Twitter.
When police blocked thousands of protesters from marching on the presidential residence, they sat on the capital’s main avenue, catching authorities by surprise. After hours of hesitation, police dispersed the rally with the help of water cannons, arresting nearly 240 people, but thousands of protesters flooded back to the area shortly after.