A protest that began on the evening of November 28 near the Georgian parliament in the center of Tbilisi escalated into clashes with police officers. The unrest resulted in injuries to both protesters and law enforcement officers as well as numerous arrests.
The protest broke out after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's statement regarding the removal of negotiations on Georgia's accession to the EU until 2028 from the agenda. The protest was attended by opposition representatives and their supporters, NGO employees, as well as the country's president Salome Zurabishvili
According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, the protest went beyond the legal norms on assemblies and demonstrations. The ministry added that, despite repeated calls for calm, protesters clashed with police officers.
Later, security forces began using pepper spray against the protesters in an attempt to disperse the crowd, but the riots in the capital of Georgia continued. Soon, special forces arrived in the city center.
After numerous calls to the protesters, security forces began clearing the area on Rustaveli Avenue using water cannons. The protest ended in the morning.
It is noted that 32 police officers sustained injuries, including head and eyes trauma. Some police officers required surgical assistance.
It should be added that law enforcement officers detained 43 protesters. An investigation is underway against the detainees under several articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
In the morning, it became known that traffic on Rustaveli Avenue had been restored. Restoration work is underway on the same section.
