Police clear Rustaveli Ave of protesters
Police Special Forces have marched on the Rustaveli Avenue with water cannons, tear gas. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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Police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse rally on Rusteveli Avenue.
Police Special Forces have marched on the Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi where the demonstrators had gathered to protest June 20 incident in the parliament of Georgia.
The international missions react to the developing events on Georgia’s central avenue in front of the building of the Georgian parliament via official Twitter accounts:
We are following very closely events at the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi this evening.
— UK in Georgia (@UKinGeorgia) June 20, 2019
We recognise the hurt that many people feel today.
We urge all sides to remain calm and act within the law at all times.
Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia released a statement of behalf of the United States Embassy and EU Delegation.
Statement by @usingeo & @EUinGeorgia :
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) June 20, 2019
We are following very closely events in @Geoparliament in Tbilisi this evening. We recognise the hurt that many people feel today. We urge all sides to remain calm, show retraint and act within the framework of the Constitution at all times.
The Healthcare Ministry has reported that 17 civilians and 38 police officers have been injured after in a late night clash in front of the parliament.
The rally, which united opposition politicians and ordinary citizens in condemning the Russian delegation’s visit to Georgia earlier on June 20 turned into a violent clash between the protesters and police in front of the parliament of Georgia.
The Georgian media reported that the number of journalists, cameramen and photographers representing a number of local news organisations is increasing after the recent clash in central Tbilisi.
The Healthcare Ministry has reported that 17 civilians and 38 police officers have been injured after in a late night clash in front of the parliament of Georgia as law enforcers used tear gas and rubber bullets to prevent the protesters from entering the building. The protesters were leaving the demonstration after the clash but soon they returned and continued rallying.
The United States Embassy in Georgia has offered its reactions to the developments in Tbilisi where protesters repeatedly clashed with police, saying the diplomatic mission closely followed the events and urged for calm.
President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili has called for "calm" amid unrest in Tbilisi as protesting crowds have been dispersed by police using tear gas in front of the parliament building.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has released a statement calling the demonstrators to “immediately stop violence" in front of the parliament of Georgia and “leave the territory”. The announcement followed soon after the Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia went to the parliament, calling on the protesters to obey the police.
International media outlets have responded to the June 20 developments in Tbilisi where people held a protest rally during the visit of Russian MPs to Tbilisi. The BBC reports that Georgian opposition MPs called for protests in response to Russian MP Gavrilov’s decision to deliver a speech from the parliamentary speaker's seat.
The United National Movement opposition party says that a demonstration on Rustaveli Avenue will be held at 7 p.m. today as the current Georgian Dream state leadership “has turned into a regime,” and the Georgian people “no longer want their leadership.” The opposition has three demands regarding top officials and elections.