On April 9, thousands of people who heeded the call of Raffi Hovannisian and gathered in Yerevan’s Freedom Square were able to force their leader to change his plans. That evening they marched towards the Presidential Palace located at 26 Baghramyan Avenue. That afternoon, as Serzh Sargsyan’s presidential inauguration ushering in a second term of office was taking place at the Karen Demirchyan Sports-Concert Complex, upwards of 10, 000 citizens filled Freedom Square. At the start of Baghramyan Avenue, the lines of police were already waiting for the people. The police stood their ground and so did the people. An intense stand-off ensued with people pushing and shoving. Some of the marchers were hit by police truncheons. The cops beat Heritage Party Vice- President Armen Martirtosyan. Scores of civilians were detained. It was only around midnight when Raffi Hovannisian and some marchers who had returned from Tztitzernakaberd Genocide Memorial (where they had gone escorted by Police Chief Vladimir Gasbaryan) could reach a negotiated agreement for a march up Baghramyan Avenue.