Despite Police Obstacles, Rally Dedicated to 100th Anniversary of Azerbaijan People�s Republic Takes Place

Baku / 28.05.18 / Turan: Despite all the obstacles and restrictions by the police, thousands of young people took part in a rally on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan People's Republic (APR).

Specially created on Facebook on this occasion, the page Cumhuriyyet (Republic) urged users to come to the APR obelisk in the center of Baku at 12.00 on May 28.

However a few hundred meters away from the obelisk, near the subway station Icheri Sheher, the police blocked the way for the participants of the action, and they allowed people in small groups of 2or 3 to the obelisk.

After laying flowers, the protesters gathered to march in the center of the capital. Townspeople joined them and the number of demonstrators grew to several thousand. The demonstrators chanted: "Azerbaijan", "Republic", and "We are Rasulzadeh"s grandchildren".

At the underground passage to the seaside boulevard the police blocked the way for the demonstrators who returned to the Nizami Museum, where they announced the completion of the action and began to disperse.

However, youth groups are still roaming the streets with state flags and chanting slogans. There have been no reports of excesses or clashes with the police. -06D--