On Friday, March 21st, a day after the State of Emergency was lifted, thousands of ordinary citizens took to the streets once more. The plan was for the people to assemble in Opera’s Freedom Square at 3 p.m. and light candles in memory of all those who died on March 1st. Later on, from 5 to 7 p.m., there was to be a single line of people stretching from Freedom Square, winding through the streets of Yerevan, and winding up at Miasnikyan Statue.

The police came out in force to meet the people. Freedom Square had been effectively blocked off and was full of armed soldiers of the Armenian Police Force. In addition to these personnel, various detachments from other law enforcement agencies had also been dispatched to Yerevan replete with helmets, truncheons and riot shields. 

The police initially prevented a group of women from entering Freedom Square, telling them to disperse to which the women defiantly replied, “This is our city…We can go and stand wherever we like.” Those who had come for the vigil assembled around the statue of Arno Babajanyan and lit their candles affixed to its base.

When more people started to arrive, the police, who had encircled the Square, started to proceed forward, crossing Tumanyan and Teryan Streets, to disperse the assembled crowd. On the sidewalk opposite the North Business Center a group of police from the Patrol Division led by Colonel Robert Melkonyan started to beat and use a stun gun on a young man whom the police claimed had, “violated the civil order”. A woman who came to his defense was also struck by the police.

At 5 p.m the activists gathered on Northern Avenue, holding candles and flowers, formed a human chain stretching down to Abovyan Street and into Republic Square, passing in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Marriott Hotel along the way, and snaking its way down Vazgen Sargsyan Street. The entire downtown section of Yerevan was under the supervision of General-Major Nerses Nazaryan, Chief of the Yerevan Police Division, and Deputy Police Chief General-Major Sashik Afyan.

Scores of police had encircled the Miasnikyan Statue and prevented anyone from approaching it. The situation was the same at the Stepan Shahumyan Statue. A large police contingent was also in evidence in Republic Square as well. All along the route members of the police and National Security service were openly videotaping the activists present. On Mashtots Avenue, opposite the Margaryan Hospital, a number of minor scuffles broke out, with people pushing and shoving. At 7 p.m. the assembled crowds of silent protestors dispersed as planned.

That same day the following campaign team members of Armenia’s first president were taken into custody:  Vardan Galstyan, Davit Tzaghikyan, Onik Hakobyan, Suren Sujyan, Edvard Sarajanyan and Hakob Semirjyan. “Heritage Party” member Zaruhi Postanjyan told “A1+ News” that the latter two were being questioned by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office regarding the events of March 1st while the others, according to the police, were subject to administrative penalties for participating in the silent procession. Also detained and subject to the same penalty was Arakel Semirjyan, a nephew of Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

See also: A Silent Protest in Yerevan, 21.03.2008