Police officers during a protest in Almaty, Kazakhstan MOSCOW, 5 Jan. Protesters in Alma-Ata broke into the city hall, RIA Novosti correspondent reports. According to him, black smoke is rising over the building, shots are heard. Earlier it was reported that the demonstrators were trying to break through to the city hall, clashes with the police, beat the security forces and take away from them shields and helmets. Police use special equipment, including flash-noise grenades. At the same time, a state of emergency is in force in Alma-Ata: a curfew has been introduced, mass events and strikes, the sale of weapons, ammunition and alcohol are prohibited. Protests in Kazakhstan Protests in Kazakhstan began in the first days of the new year … Residents of the cities of Zhanaozen and Aktau went to rallies, protesting against a 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 form on electronic exchange trading based on supply and demand. President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev instructed to create a commission to study situation, and on January 4, she announced that she was ready to fulfill the main demand of the protesters and reduce gas prices. However, the protests spread to other cities. In Alma-Ata on the evening of January 4, protesters staged clashes with security officials, who used gas and stun grenades. The head of state urged people to show prudence and not succumb to provocations from inside and outside. According to him, the power will not fall, but the country “does not need a conflict, but mutual trust and dialogue.” Later, the president introduced a state of emergency in Alma-Ata, Almaty and Mangistau regions, which will operate until January 19. There, a curfew is being imposed, mass events are prohibited, movement is restricted. Tokayev this morning dismissed the government, which, he said, is particularly guilty for allowing the protest situation. He also ordered to introduce state regulation of prices for liquefied gas and gasoline for six months. 
