Four arrested following protest against construction of football stadium in Tbilisi

Police have arrested four individuals during a protest against the construction of a football stadium in Didi Digomi district in Tbilisi earlier today.

Residents of the second micro-district of Didi Digomi have been demanding a local green space be preserved and transformed into a park but in 2020 the disputed territory was given to the Georgian Football Federation for the construction of a stadium.

Protesters were arrested for petty hooliganism and disobedience to the police, the Interior Ministry reports. They did not allow the construction company to start working on the territory earlier today.

The size of the territory where the construction of the stadium was planned is 10,589 square meters. Photo: Screenshot from video.

However, a temporary agreement has been reached to hold a meeting between the initiative group of the locals and the federation regarding the issue and therefore, for now the rally is over, RFE/RL’s Georgian service reports.

Earlier this year a complaint was filed by the initiative group to the Architecture Service of Tbilisi City Hall which noted several issues including safety matters.

Residents of the district are demanding the existing green space to be accessible for everyone and an alternative area to be allocated for the project.