Gas, water cannons, beatings of tens of thousands of protesters in Tbilisi. How did the night go and what's next?
Breaking up of the protest in Tbilisi
Throughout the night on May 1st in Tbilisi, there was a large-scale confrontation between tens of thousands of protesters against the “Transparency of Foreign Influence” law and the police, including special forces. Tear gas and water cannons were deployed, resulting in injuries. 63 participants of the protest were arrested.
On April 30th, during a parliamentary session, the bill, often referred to as the “foreign agents law” or simply the “Russian law” in society, was under consideration for the second reading. According to the regulations, parliamentary work is only permitted until nine in the evening. However, no consensus was reached among the deputies, leading to the discussion being postponed to May 1st.
The dispersal of the peaceful demonstration began after ten o’clock in the evening, by which time the ranks of the protesters had significantly dwindled.
Special forces utilized all available means against the demonstrators, including water cannons, pepper spray, tear gas, rubber bullets, and physical violence.
“The rally exceeded the legally established rules of demonstrations and took on a violent character. Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is taking action to restore public order in accordance with the law,” the ministry’s press service announced.
At first, the special forces managed to clear the area around the parliament of protesters. But very soon, the number of people on Rustaveli Avenue sharply increased: those who had decided to go home returned, and thousands of others, who had initially only planned to watch events on TV or through social media, arrived at the scene.
“I live here, this is my country. Honestly, I haven’t been to a rally since April 9, 1989, when we defended the independence of our country. But how could I stay at home when I saw how they treat young people! My son is not in Georgia right now, and I came here instead of him to stand up for his friends, for this generation,” one of the protesters told JAMnews.
During the dispersal, protesters chanted “Long live Georgia,” “You are slaves,” “You are Russian [slaves],” sang the national anthem of Georgia, as well as Merab Sepashvili’s song “Smile,” which has become the unofficial anthem of the Georgian national football team — and now the de facto anthem of protests against the “foreign agents law.”
In several places on Rustaveli Avenue, protesters tried to block the road to the special forces with garbage bins, iron barriers, and street benches.
Throughout the night, President Salome Zourabichvili was active on social media, making several statements on Facebook and X.
Zourabichvili strongly condemned the actions of law enforcement officers and called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to stop dispersing the protesters. She wrote that “the use of completely unjustified, unprovoked, and disproportionate force against peaceful protesters in Tbilisi is regrettable.”
“It is offensive that you oppose the youth when you claim to belong to this nation. It is shameful that you appeal to faith but commit violence during Holy Week,” Salome Zourabichvili wrote.
Until five in the morning, some of the protesters remained on Rustaveli Avenue, persistently returning after each round of tear gas and powerful water jets from water cannons. Another large group headed to the waterfront near the House of Justice.
Thus, instead of one protest location in the city, two hotspots emerged.
Many videos aired by Georgian television channels depicted the special forces employing excessive force against peaceful civilians. For instance, in the video below, a special forces officer approaches a protester and strikes him in the face, even though the protester is simply standing there with nothing in his hands.
In another video, Deputy Aleko Elisashvili approaches a special forces officer with his hands raised, but he is beaten, knocked down, and pepper-sprayed in the face.
The special forces, wearing masks, brutally beat protesters, including women.
Another episode, where, according to the Georgian branch of “Radio Liberty,” allegedly the same special forces officer who mistreats women in the video above, is involved in yet another brutal incident:
On the footage from the “Mtavari Arkhi” channel, a police officer can be seen punching one of the demonstrators in the face.
Levan Khabeishvili, the chairman of the main opposition party “United National Movement,” was brutally beaten during the protests and taken to the Ingurkva Clinic. He has been diagnosed with a broken nose.
Several people were injured as a result of the police using pepper spray and beatings. Among the injured is Ani Tsitlidze, a Member of Parliament from the “National Movement” party, who had pepper spray sprayed directly into her eyes. She received assistance from an ambulance crew.
In footage published by the magazine “Tabula,” young men can be seen carrying an unconscious young man into an ambulance.
Reporters from the publication “Publica,” Lika Zakashvili and Basti Mgaloblisvhili, were injured as a result of pepper spray use.
The exact number of injured individuals is currently unknown.
According to the TV channel “Pirveli,” a teacher at Ilya Chavchavadze University, Alika Kuprava, was injured by the actions of the special forces.
Ted Jonas, an American lawyer living in Georgia, was arrested during the dispersal of protests against the “Russian law.” He posted on his Facebook at 01:12 that he was in a police car and had been severely beaten.
My friend Theodore Jonas was severely assaulted by police tonight. This is a picture of him in a police van. This is the reality of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s government pic.twitter.com/vHwGJ31Q41
— William Dunbar (@undrawbill) April 30, 2024
Georgian People’s Defender Levan Ioseliani states that the police began dispersing the participants of the rally in Tbilisi in violation of the “standard of necessary and proportionate intervention.” The Ombudsman reminds that the freedom of peaceful assembly is protected by the Constitution of Georgia.
According to the Ministry of Health, as a result of the events that took place at the demonstration, three law enforcement officers were hospitalized.
As reported by Radio Liberty in the ministry’s press center, emergency medical care was provided to several demonstrators at the scene, but hospitalization was not required.
Despite several attempts to disperse the protest, law enforcement officers failed to completely stop it. Hundreds of people remained on Rustaveli Avenue throughout the night.
After 4 a.m., special forces began to leave Rustaveli Avenue on their own. They first retreated, and then completely left the area.
There are videos showing protesters pushing out the departing special forces from the avenue, which was blocked with makeshift barricades.
Statement by Anonymous in support of the protesters against the “Russian law” in Georgia
Late in the evening on April 30th, the international hacker and activist movement, Anonymous, issued a statement expressing support for the ongoing protests in Georgia against the “foreign agents law.” Anonymous threatened the government and the ruling party, Georgian Dream, with cyber-attacks and the disclosure of their personal databases and correspondence.
?Anonymous PR/#OpGeorgia
– To the protesters in Georgia, we have heard your plea for help. Take heart and take to your streets; you are not alone. Anonymous members stand with you and will help in your fight for democracy, freedom, and prosperity.
To the Georgia police:… pic.twitter.com/1kRqWfwV2q
— Anonymous TV ?? (@YourAnonTV) April 30, 2024
Protest participants’ plans: to continue the demonstrations; residents from regions are coming to Tbilisi to show support
On Wednesday, May 1st, the parliament will continue discussing the draft law on foreign agents in the second reading. Simultaneously, the protest action near the parliament building will resume.
It is already known that opposition members, civic activists, and other opponents of this project from Batumi and other cities in Georgia plan to march to Tbilisi and join the protest demonstration on Wednesday, May 1st.
“We will depart from Batumi at 12 noon and drive through the whole of Georgia to Tbilisi in a large column to draw the attention of the population and the region of Adjara, and the entire country, to the fact that the authorities have put us at risk of losing our European future,” said one of the organizers of this “Batumi march” at a special briefing in Batumi.
The TV channel “Mtavari Arkhi” reports that on May 1st, residents from 12 regions of Georgia will arrive in Tbilisi to participate in the protest.
A special group “Stay with me” (დაიტოვე) has been created on Facebook. Here, residents of Tbilisi offer free accommodation in their homes, breakfasts, and any assistance to those coming from the regions to participate in the protest against the “Russian law.”
Many in the same group offer to help with purchasing tickets for travel to Tbilisi. Several people have written that they have minivans and are willing to provide free rides to those wishing to attend the rally.
Here are a few messages from the group:
● “We are ready to provide accommodation for 4-5 people in Tbilisi. ? Also, I can provide food for people. I am ready to support you in everything ??”
● “Hello, we and our friends can sponsor up to 100 people to stay overnight in Tbilisi. Where can we contribute funds?”
● “Friends, I am driving from Batumi to Tbilisi, there are seats in the car, and I can join the convoy!”
● “Please provide the account number, I will transfer money for gas for the trip to and from Tbilisi from any region.”
● “Greetings, friends! It was my birthday on April 30, but now is definitely not the time for personal celebration. I want to help you with food as much as possible and will pass on the food I bought for my celebration. Please advise where and how to deliver?”
● “I am ready to transfer money from Sweden, tell me where!”
● “I am an immigrant living in Italy, please advise where to send money for support.”
● “For those who want to go from Kutaisi to Tbilisi to participate in the protests, we are gathering in front of the City Hall on Wednesday, May 1, at 3:00 PM. We will address transportation and other details depending on how many people gather. Who can help with transportation, food, or accommodation?”
● “Writing to you from Germany! We want to stand with you! Where can we send money?”
