Police disrupt a protest in front of Russian Embassy in Baku

In Baku, the police did not let participants of an unsanctioned rally organized by the Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare Party to approach the building of the Russian Embassy.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on April 12, the Baku Mayoralty did not allow the Azerbaijan Democracy and Welfare Party holding a picket in front of the Russian Embassy with the demand to end the special military operation in Ukraine. The city authorities explained their refusal to sanction the protest action by restrictions on holding mass events during the pandemic.

The protest action was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on April 12. By that time, reinforced police detachments were accumulated near the building of the Russian Embassy. As soon as a group of people with posters numbering about 15 started to move towards the Russian Embassy, the police went to meet them and blocked their way, the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent reported from the place.

A police officer told the activists that the protest action was not sanctioned by the city authorities and requested the people to disperse. He threatened to apply “strict measures.” At the same time, the police officer refused the activists’ request to let at least one their representative pass the picket’s resolution to the Russian Embassy. “No, you may not, please, disperse,” the police officer said.

After that, the police began to push the protesters away from the building of the Russian Embassy and take away from their hands the posters with slogans written against the background of the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

The protesters demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and peacekeepers from Karabakh.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 12, 2022 at 05:00 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.