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Policemen could have immediately restored traffic on Bagramyan Avenue in Yerevan - the law allows that , but the Armenian police do not resort to that step, Deputy Chief of Yerevan Police Valery Osipyan said during a talk with a participant of the rally staged on Bagramyan Avenue against a rise in power tariffs in Armenia.

“It is our people. We want to avoid needless tension,” Osipyan said.

He once again urged protesters to remove trash containers from Bagramyan Avenue, expressing a willingness to provide them with tollgates. When asked whether the police will take any actions in the event protesters remove trash containers from the avenue, V. Osipyan said the police are not going to use batons and handcuffs, let alone water cannons.

“If the police wanted to take any action, if they had such an intention, these trash containers would hardly become an obstacle,” he said.

As was reported, on June 28 the demonstrators against the power tariff hike divided into two groups after blocking Bagramyan Avenue in downtown Yerevan for over a week. The presidential residence, the parliament, the Constitutional Court, and several embassies are located on that avenue. Following the June 27 statement of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, the organizers of rallies attended by thousands – members of ‘No to Plunder’ civic initiative urged protesters to leave Bagramyan Avenue and move to Liberty Square nearby. Yet some of protesters refused to leave and continue blocking Bagramyan Avenue. On July 2 the Armenian police removed water cannon and armored personnel carriers from Bagramyan Avenue , while the previous day the police called on the organizers and participants to respect the Constitution, laws and legitimate interests of others and unblock the avenue voluntarily.