Anger is growing across Armenia against police handling of protests which began earlier in the week against a major hike in energy prices.<br /><br /> On Wednesday demonstraters began forming street barricades in the capital Yerevan. Some of them, mainly young activists have occupied a street near the presidential palace.<br /><br /> One protester said a rise in electricity tariffs will affect everything -” higher food prices, everything”<br /><br /> Armenia’s electricity network is owned by a Russian company, which says the rise is necessary because of a fall in the value of the national currency. <br /><br /> Over the past few days riot police have been accused of using strong arm tactics to disperse the crowds, making dozens of arrests.<br /><br /> “The events of the past 24 hours showed that the police need only a pretext to use force. In the situation where social issues are raised its quite unacceptable,” complained one man.<br /><br /> The decision to increase electricity prices by 22 percent has raised social tensions in the cash-strap
