Interior Minister says protection of MP, protest participant safety “equally important” for police

Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri on Friday said it was “equally important” for the police to protect the safety of members of the Parliament, the institution’s staff and participants of ongoing public protests against the controversial domestic bill on the transparency of foreign influence.

Gomelauri told the lawmaking body five police officers had been injured and 40 protesters detained outside the Parliament this week in clashes sparked by the reintroduction of the draft law by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

“This week we all saw law enforcement officers who were continuously mobilised at various times and places of protests and protected the safety of each person”, he told MPs.

The public also saw how a peaceful protest turned into violent action from day one. While the protest was taking place in a completely peaceful situation, a certain part of the participants became aggressive towards the law enforcement officers, throwing various objects in the direction of the police officers - including stones, bottles - verbally and physically abusing them and refusing to obey legal demands of the police”, the Minister said.

The official also claimed “calls to storm” the Government Administration had been made during the rallies.

“The public saw clearly how organisers and participants in the rally were trying to challenge police officers mobilised to protect public order outside the Government Administration, to enter into a conflict with them”, he alleged.

“There were calls to storm the Government building, [and] they were verbally abusing the police - especially the representatives of the opposition parties who were active in doing so”, Gomelauri added.

The official thanked law enforcement officers for their “professionalism” by saying “our guys have endured too much abuse, again and again, for the sake of our country and the safety of its citizens”.