On Wednesday, riot police deployed stun grenades outside the Armenian parliament as they clashed with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The protest, led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, drew thousands to a street in Yerevan near the parliament building. Inside, Pashinyan and his government were responding to questions from lawmakers under unprecedented security measures.
Galstanyan, addressing the crowd before the parliamentary session, insisted that Pashinyan meet him to discuss “the terms of his peaceful departure.” He accused Pashinyan of mismanagement and “surrendering the homeland,” urging protesters to block him from leaving the building.
“The man who failed the state must not be able to freely go to work, cynically ignoring the pain he has caused our people,” Galstanian proclaimed. He called for more people to join the protests.
Pashinyan refused to resign and criticized opposition groups backing the protest, which was ignited by his territorial concessions to Azerbaijan.
The protesters failed to surround the heavily guarded compound, protected by police and National Security Service officers. Before tensions escalated in the evening, police detained at least 60 protesters.
A confrontation ensued as police pushed back protesters from another street leading to the parliament. The two sides clashed, throwing bottles at each other, prompting security forces to fire over a dozen stun grenades. The explosions injured dozens of protesters and at least two journalists. Ambulances arrived to provide first aid.
Armenian police chief Aram Hovannisian defended the use of stun grenades, citing the out-of-control situation. Pashinyan also supported the police actions.
The Armenian Ministry of Health reported that at least 98 people received treatment for mostly “light and medium-gravity injuries.” The Interior Ministry stated that 16 policemen were injured outside the parliament.
Galstanyan blamed the violence on “police provocations” and urged the crowd to continue their protest.
Inside the parliament, chaos erupted as deputies from the ruling Civil Contract party clashed with opposition members. The confrontation followed Pashinyan’s insults directed at former military leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, whom he called “coward deserters” deserving of prison. Amid the ensuing disorder, Pashinyan hastily exited the parliament floor.
Pashinyan was apparently not in the main government building when Galstanian led protesters to it later in the evening. Galstanyan called for supporters to gather again during a cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday morning.
“He must remain on the run in the coming days,” declared Galstanyan.
