Tbilisi tensions rise: Violence erupts over EU talks delay
Protests in downtown Tbilisi are escalating. Approximately ten journalists from various outlets were injured on Thursday night when police dispersed protest participants in front of the Georgian parliament, reports NewsGeorgia.
In downtown Tbilisi on the night from Thursday to Friday, there were violent clashes between police and participants of the protest against the suspension of talks about Georgia joining the European Union until 2028. About ten journalists were injured, and human rights defenders accuse the police of using disproportionate force.
Georgians are protesting
Protesters gathered in front of the Georgian parliament to express opposition to the government's decision to delay integration with the EU. Demonstrations turned into riots. The Echo of the Caucasus service reports that Rustaveli Avenue resembles a battlefield.
The police are using not only water cannons but also tear gas, leading protesters to build barricades and start fires in an attempt to defend themselves. By morning, there were mass arrests of those who refused to leave the demonstration site.
The Young Lawyers Association is demanding explanations regarding the chemical agents used by the police. According to reports, officers used a mixture of water with chemical substances, which caused burns to the faces and bodies of many protest participants.
Clashes are taking place amid social dissatisfaction with the government's decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union until 2028.
Human rights defenders are warning that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is using disproportionate force against demonstrators. Approximately ten journalists from various outlets were injured during the police intervention.
