Man Attempts to Strike Pashinyan During Palm Sunday Service at Saint Anna Church in Yerevan

An incident unfolded on March 29 at Saint Anna Church during a Palm Sunday service attended by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and members of his team - which shows the growing tension inside Armenia, even in places of worship.

According to available information, the situation began while Pashinyan was inside the church. A young man in the crowd tried to move closer, shouting, “I want to stand in the middle,” as he pushed forward. Security personnel quickly stepped in, stopping him and pulling him back.

Moments later, the situation escalated. The young man attempted to strike the prime minister but was struck back by bodyguards. Voices in the crowd could be heard as the tension rose, with one person shouting, “Don’t do anything, guys, let him stay where he is.” At the same time, Pashinyan called for calm, repeating, “Calm down, calm down.”

A second tense moment followed as Pashinyan and his team prepared to leave the church before the service had ended. Security officers began clearing a path through the crowd, adding to the frustration among those present. The same young man again became agitated, asking not to be pushed and insisting he wanted to remain where he was.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he told the prime minister, before once again attempting to strike him. Pashinyan signaled to his security team not to react, urging restraint.

The officials then exited the church without further escalation.

The incident took place on Palm Sunday, one of the most important days in the Armenian Apostolic Church calendar. On that same day, the Catholicos of All Armenians was leading services at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, as many believers across the country marked the occasion.

For many Armenians, especially those deeply connected to the Church, the events at Saint Anna Church reflected a deeper frustration. In recent months, tensions have been rising, particularly among believers who feel angered and hurt by what they see as attacks by Pashinyan against the Church and the Catholicos.

Authorities later confirmed that two individuals were detained in connection with the incident. Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that police detained two citizens from the church courtyard on suspicion of hooliganism and interfering with the lawful official and political activities of a public official.

The incident was formally recorded, and about two hours later, law enforcement carried out the detentions.

—

Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.