Tbilisi Police Disperse Protesters on Rustaveli Avenue Amid Anti-Government Demonstrations

Georgian special forces dispersed anti-government demonstrators on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on Friday night, which was the first such crackdown in three days of protests. Authorities used water cannons and tear gas to clear protesters from the area near the Georgian Parliament. Several demonstrators were detained.

The Interior Ministry reported that fireworks used by protesters prompted the dispersal, resulting in one police officer being injured. Despite this incident, the protest had remained largely peaceful over the previous days.

Opposition groups stated that Tsotne Kobiridze, a leader of the “Girchi – More Freedom” party and the “Coalition for Change,” was among those detained. Arrests were also reported near Republic Square, where demonstrators found themselves encircled by police forces.

Earlier, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze dismissed the protests as an unsuccessful attempt to ignite a “national Maidan,” asserting that the government has the situation under control.