Armenia: Utility protesters play football in Yerevan's barricaded streets

A group of demonstrators made the most of Yerevan's barricaded streets, playing football and relaxing in the shade, as they took a break from protesting against Armenia’s recent utility price hikes, Saturday. On June 17 the Public Services Regulatory Committee (PSRC) announced that energy prices would be increased by 16 percent, raising them for the third time in three years. Protesters started taking to the streets over a week ago and have continued to do so every day, even after 200 were arrested and the police started to deploy water cannon. Rallies have remained peaceful since, but protesters continue to call for the government to release the detained demonstrators. The Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has reportedly offered to meet a small group of activists, but the protesters have declined the proposition.