By Naira Bughadarian
YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — The Armenian authorities and opposition groups continued to blame each other on June 6 for violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators demanding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation.
The clashes broke out late on Friday after riot police did not allow thousands of opposition supporters to approach the parliament building in Yerevan on the 34th day of nonstop anti-government protests.
The police fired stun grenades as some of the protesters tried to break through a police cordon in chaotic scenes that left at least 60 people injured. One of them, a protester, suffered a severe head injury and underwent surgery.
According to law-enforcement authorities, 40 police officers received medical assistance in hospitals after being pelted with bottles, stones and other objects and assaulted by demonstrators.
The Investigative Committee launched a criminal inquiry into “mass disturbances” which it said were provoked by unnamed opposition leaders. It did not say whether it would prosecute any of those leaders.
