Protesters burst into Almaty city hall

Protesters in the center of Almaty burst into the city hall, Report informs citing RIA Novosti.

Black smoke is rising over the building, shots are heard, the report adds.

As Sputnik Kazakhstan reports, there are about 3,000 protesters. The attackers beat the police officers and seized their shields and helmets.

At the same time, a state of emergency is in force in Almaty: a curfew has been introduced, mass events and protests, the sale of weapons, ammunition, and alcohol are prohibited.

Protest actions in Kazakhstan began in the first days of the new year. Residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau took to the streets in protest against the double rise in the price of liquefied petroleum gas, which the Ministry of Energy explained by the fact that from January 1, prices began to be formed on electronic exchange trading based on supply and demand.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the creation of a commission to study the situation, and on January 4, he announced his readiness to fulfill the main demand of the protesters and reduce gas prices. However, the protests spread to other cities. In Almaty on the evening of January 4, protesters clashed with security officials, who used gas and stun grenades.