Yerevan club Poligraf reopens following violent police raid
- PublishedMon, May 1, 2023, 08:00
- Words
- Share
- The club's supporters took to the streets over the weekend to protest the situation.
- Poligraf, the Yerevan club that was recently the target of a violent police raid, has reopened. The venue broke the news on Instagram on Saturday, April 29th, describing the raid and subsequent forced closure as "a blatant injustice and a grave affront to the freedom of expression and creativity that we stand for." Poligraf also extended its "deepest gratitude to the global club community and all those who showed their support." Poligraf's in-house queer party, Princess Diaries, went ahead as scheduled on Saturday night. Earlier that day, the club's supporters took to the streets of Yerevan to protest the situation, footage of which was shared online. Taking place in the early hours of Sunday, April 23rd, the raid saw staff and attendees being "brutally beaten up and even strip-searched," the club alleged. CCTV footage shows dozens of officers forcefully entering the premises, pushing attendees to the floor and conducting searches. Harmik Mackertoomian, Poligraf's head of communications, previously told Resident Advisor that the motivation for the raid was both "political and personal," and pointed to an incident last year when an individual was refused entry and subsequently phoned the police to call in a bomb scare at the club. Nothing was found, but Mackertoomian said the individual has continued to spread misinformation about the club. The latest accusation is around drugs, which is believed to have prompted the raid. A handful of other clubs in the region shared social media posts in solidarity with Poligraf following the incident, including THEØFFICE in Yerevan and Bassiani and KHIDI in Tbilisi. "The assault on Poligraf is not just an attack on a single establishment, but on the youth, the arts and the cultural industry of Armenia," THEØFFICE's post read. "Electronic music venues are vital spaces for people to connect, share their experiences and contribute to the growth of our society and economy." Read the posts in full, and watch footage of the street protests. Photo: Sam Martirosyan
- Sat, Apr 29, 2023
Princess Diaries with dosaaf, Nesa Azadikhah
dosaaf, Empress, Nesa Azadikhah