Protests in Tbilisi: Calls for Justice and New Elections

A protest that began on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi Tuesday evening concluded peacefully by 2 a.m. on December 11, with the crowd of demonstrators significantly thinning after midnight. The event proceeded without incident, reflecting a growing yet restrained wave of civic discontent in the country.

Police presence was notably absent near the Georgian Parliament, the heart of the protest, but Freedom Square, a short distance away, remained heavily secured with special forces units and water cannons on standby.

The demonstrators, while refraining from formal speeches or using podiums, voiced their demands clearly to journalists. Two key issues stood at the forefront: the release of all detained protest participants from administrative and criminal liability and the call for new parliamentary elections.

The capital’s protest mirrored a broader movement that has taken hold in Georgia, with similar demonstrations reported in Batumi, Kutaisi, and other cities in recent days.