In Tbilisi, special forces continue to disperse a rally of many thousands, which has grown into riots. “Rustavi-2” writes that the security forces managed to drive the activists away from the square in front of the parliament building.
Correspondent RIA Novosti also reports that the protesters were forced out of Rustaveli Avenue. During the clashes, security forces used water cannons and tear gas grenades. In response, firecrackers, bottles and stones flew.
Blogger Nikolai Levshits showed on his Telegram channel how the dispersal of the rally looks like from a bird’s eye view. A crowd of people can be seen running away from the tear gas.
Nikolay Levshits — channel in Georgia / Georgia
A number of media write from the scene that the security forces blocked Rustaveli Avenue, and the protesters once more trying to break through on the main street to the parliament building, and somewhere barricades are allegedly erected.
On the evening of March 8, the opposition put forward an ultimatum to the authorities, demanding to withdraw the bill on foreign agents and release all detainees, but it was ignored, following which the clashes began with renewed vigor. Today, the protesters once more tried to surround and storm the parliament building. They broke the fences and tried to loosen the gates.
Fontanka wrote that the protests in Tbilisi began on March 7 following the parliament passed a bill on the registration of “foreign agents” in the first reading. The authorities believe that this is necessary for the “calm development of the country,” while the opposition sees the law as “the hand of Moscow” and believes that the country will move away from the European Union. The confrontation near the parliament building ended with the arrests of dozens of people and wounded on both sides. Read more regarding political intricacies and what Russia has to do with it in an interview with political scientist Stanislav Tarasov.
