Around 8:00 p.m. on December 2, Georgian law enforcement officers began dispersing an anti-government rally near the parliament. Pepper spray and water cannons were used against the protesters.
Points of attention
- Georgian law enforcement officers dispersed an anti-government rally near the parliament using pepper spray and water cannons.
- The protesters, despite being pushed out by the police, plan to continue the protest and march to Svobody Square.
- The Baltic countries imposed sanctions on Georgian officials, including the founder of the Georgian Dream party and the interior minister, for the crackdown on protests.
- Several individuals from the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs were banned from entering Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia due to their involvement in the dispersal of protesters.
- Stay updated on the developing situation in Georgia as tensions continue to rise between protesters and law enforcement.
Protesters were dispersed under the Parliament of Georgia
The protesters were pushed out by the police from the territory adjacent to the parliament. Detentions began.
Special forces used tear gas on Rustaveli Avenue.
Immediately after the start of the dispersal of the rally, women protestors in Rustaveli asked law enforcement officers not to use force against the demonstrators. At the same time, the employees of the H&M store, located in this place, offered the protesters to hide in the store to protect them from possible arrest.
Some of the protesters remain on Rustaveli Avenue even after using tear gas, many of them have gas masks.
According to "Echo Kavkazu" correspondent Khatiya Khasaia, some of the protesters plan to march along the embankment to Freedom Square.
The Baltic countries imposed sanctions against the Georgian authorities due to the crackdown on protests
Lithuania imposed sanctions against representatives of the Georgian authorities for dispersing protests. 11 people were included in the sanctions list.
This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielus Landsbergis.
Sanctions were introduced against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling party "Georgian Dream", as well as the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Vakhtang Homelauri.
The leadership of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs was included in the sanctions list:
Shalva Bedoidze, first deputy head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Yoseb Chelidze;
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Oleksandr Darakhvelidze;
Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Heorhiy Buthuzi;
head of the department for special assignments Zviad Kharazishvili (is under US sanctions);
Deputy Head of the Department for Special Assignments Mileri Lagazouri (is under US sanctions);
Mirza Kezevadze, deputy head of the department for special assignments;
director of the patrol police department Vazha Siradze;
Director of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Teimuraz Kupatadze.
These persons were banned from entering Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
