Pro-European protests in Tbilisi, day 9: tear gas, water cannons, 48 arrested

Violent dispersal of Tbilisi protests

Pro-European protests continue in Tbilisi, drawing thousands of participants. After two days of relative calm, the ninth night of demonstrations, from December 6 to 7, was again marked by violent dispersal and arrests.

Special forces used water cannons and tear gas against tens of thousands gathered peacefully outside the parliament. In response, demonstrators launched fireworks and firecrackers toward the special forces.

The Georgian Public Defender, Levan Ioseliani, addressed the Ministry of Internal Affairs, stating: “The dispersal began against a completely peaceful protest; there were no lawful grounds to prevent people from expressing their opinions. The Ministry of Internal Affairs must immediately halt the violence and the detention of protest participants.”

How special forces beat protesters in Tbilisi: stories from those hospitalized

We share the stories and images of people who were brutally beaten, injured, and arrested at pro-European protests in Tbilisi

Throughout the night of December 7, large groups of special forces chased protesters not only along Rustaveli Avenue but also in other parts of the city, beating and detaining people, even in the metro.

In addition to special forces, peaceful protesters last night were also confronted by unidentified individuals, one of whom was armed. It was later reported that this was pro-government businessman Avto Mikadze, accompanied by his bodyguards.

The protest was fully dispersed at dawn.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that 48 people were detained overnight, including Beka Korshia, a television host from the Mtavari channel.

Particular attention has been drawn to the shocking detention of 19-year-old Sandro Bukia. A widely circulated video shows his mother screaming that Sandro has epilepsy and begging the officers not to touch him as he was already experiencing a seizure. Despite this, special forces dragged the young man away, pushing his mother aside.

Since the protests erupted on November 28, authorities have detained around 400 people

Ministry of Internal Affairs blames protesters

The Ministry of Internal Affairs accuses detainees of administrative violations, disobedience to lawful police orders, and petty hooliganism. In a statement released on December 7, the Ministry stated that “protest participants had the opportunity to express their protest peacefully, as they did in the previous two days, and to continue their demonstration. However, the actions of some participants turned violent.”

The Ministry claims that protesters threw fireworks at the parliament building and law enforcement officers stationed around it. “Police officers were subjected to verbal abuse, and stones and various heavy objects were thrown at them,” the statement reads.

It was also reported that one Ministry of Internal Affairs officer was injured due to the use of fireworks by protesters.

“Later, participants moved from Rustaveli Avenue toward Heroes’ Square, blocking traffic on the road and engaging in a conflict with the passengers of a vehicle, who turned out to be private security for an individual,” the Ministry’s statement added.

“Lies and cynism! If “violence has stopped” in the streets, what’s the purpose of tonight’s brutal raid? Abducting a child from their mother? Taking revenge on women?”, President Salome Zourabichvili said on X.

As an illustration, she added a video to her post featuring a statement by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. In it, he says that after the authorities arrested members of political parties and activists, the street violence ended. Yet, for some reason, he laughs while saying this.

Zourabichvili added that “Georgians fighting fortheir freedom and European future is met with brutal terror and repression.”

“Gross violations of basic human rights – kidnappings, beatings, unlawful searches and arrests – persist unabated,” she stated on X.

• How special forces beat protesters in Tbilisi: stories from those hospitalized
• Georgia: guide on handling police searches at your home or office

Transparency International Georgia condemns violent dispersal of peaceful protest

“The police, special forces, and other armed groups of Ivanishvili’s regime were not only beating and detaining protest participants but also targeting people on nearby streets. We call on Ivanishvili to stop persecuting citizens. The government’s actions are repressive and represent a blatant violation of human rights, which is condemned by the democratic international community,” the statement reads.

Photo by Maka Tsnobiladze / JAMnews

Germany, France, and Poland issue joint statement on Georgia events

The foreign ministers of the Weimar Triangle countries (Germany, France, and Poland) issued a joint statement regarding Georgia. They condemned the anti-European decision of the “Georgian Dream” party and the disproportionate use of force against protesters:

“We reaffirm our strong commitment to supporting the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people.

We strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force against peaceful protesters, as well as attacks on opposition representatives and media outlets. We denounce the raids on opposition party offices and civil society organizations, the arrests of political opposition members, and call for their immediate release.

Fundamental rights, including freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, must be upheld and protected in accordance with Georgia’s Constitution and international commitments.

We urge the ‘Georgian Dream’ party to de-escalate tensions and initiate an inclusive dialogue with all political forces and civil society representatives.

It is worth noting that, since the beginning of 2024, the ‘Georgian Dream’ has effectively suspended the process of Georgia’s accession to the European Union, which has, in turn, led to a deterioration in our relations with Georgia.

At the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, we will focus on this issue to take appropriate measures at the EU level and also consider the consequences of the ‘Georgian Dream’s’ actions in our bilateral relations,” the statement reads.