Thousands of anti-government rally in the center of Tbilisi escalated into clashes between protesters and police and an attempt to take the Georgian parliament building by storm. In response to the incessant provocative behavior of the demonstrators, the special forces soldiers used tear gas and fired warning shots into the air, after which they started firing rubber bullets at the protesters.
“As a result of the actions of the special forces, there are victims. The situation is grave, ”reports the Rustavi 2 television company.
According to the Georgian Ministry of Health, at least 52 people, including 38 police officers, were injured and hospitalized during clashes in the center of Tbilisi.
The Georgian Interior Ministry explained the use of special equipment by the need to ensure the safety of police officers during a physical confrontation with the protesters. The press service of the department called the actions of the demonstrators, who, despite the calls of the authorities, continued their attempts to storm the parliament, “an attempt of a mass coup”. These events will be given an appropriate legal assessment.
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Wounded journalists
It is worth noting that among the victims there are journalists, including the producer of the video agency RT Ruptly and the correspondent of the Georgian Channel One.
“The situation has escalated. There was a lull, but then the crowd began another assault. They started throwing stones, sticks, bottles, and the special forces opened fire with rubber bullets, fired tear gas ... I tried to take it off, and when they started the gas, I turned away so as not to choke, and suddenly there was a sharp pain in the liver. It was a rubber bullet. I tried it with my hand - there was blood on my arm, ”said producer Ruptly.
- Producer Ruptly injured by a rubber bullet during riots at the Georgian parliament
Earlier, he said that during the lull between the first and second wave of the assault, police officers distributed water to the protesters, since the weather in Tbilisi was very hot, and many felt unwell - even to the point of losing consciousness.
“People are not moving away, the assault continues. It is not known how this will end. They turned on the gas, people cover their faces with what they have, ”the journalist said half an hour before his injury.
The reaction of the authorities
The Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, who arrived at the parliament building, expressed solidarity with the protesting citizens, but condemned the violence, into which the demonstrations had outgrown. According to him, the oppositional United National Movement of Mikhail Saakashvili is trying to destabilize the situation in the country.
“In Georgia, any group of people has the right to protest. In this case, I want to repeat that it was a fair protest. But during the last two hours that we are witnessing, this is violence, this is an attempt of the aggressive group, the National Movement, to withdraw Georgia from the legal framework that was created once and for all in this country, ”Bakhtadze emphasized .
- Shots of clashes at the Georgian parliament
The initial reason for the speeches was that the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy (MAP), State Duma Deputy Sergei Gavrilov, during the morning session of the MAP (held in the plenary hall of the Georgian parliament).
The deputies of the opposition factions protested against such regulations, having left the meeting room, after which the IAP session was suspended. It was reported that the parliament was seized by radicals who poured water on Gavrilov and tried to take away his documents. After that, members of the assembly were forced to leave the parliament building under guard, and radical activists began to gather in the center of the Georgian capital, demanding that the Russian delegation leave the country. Later, these protests escalated into anti-government protests and clashes with the police.
The press service of the State Duma reported that on the eve of Gavrilov's arrival in the Georgian media, fake news was spread, in which the parliamentarian was accused of participating in armed conflicts in Abkhazia and Transdniestria. Gavrilov denied all the allegations against him, stressing that he had never participated in wars, and adding that "Russia and Georgia are united by fraternal Orthodox ties."
However, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili stated that her country could not have an Orthodox union with Russia, and Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze called Gavrilov’s speech a gesture that "harms the idea of Georgia’s freedom."
“Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to immediately respond, based on the fact that I am not in Georgia. I immediately demanded to suspend the session as soon as I learned about the incident, ”the speaker of the Georgian parliament Irakli Kobakhidze quotes RIA Novosti.
In turn, the founder of the ruling party “Georgian Dream” Bidzina Ivanishvili called the incident “a protocol mistake, the political significance of which, unfortunately, was not taken into account by the organizers”.
The former speaker of the Georgian parliament and leader of the Democratic Movement - United Georgia party, Nino Burjanadze, on RT air, put the entire responsibility on the situation to the Georgian authorities. At the same time, she expressed the opinion that if the government did not follow an “adequate response” now, the situation could get out of control. Burjanadze added that certain political forces are trying to use this situation to their advantage.
- Shots of clashes in the center of Tbilisi
Georgian Interior Minister George Gakharia also expressed the opinion that the unrest is organized by certain political forces that are trying to "plunge the country into a catastrophe." He urged the protesters to comply with the lawful demands of the police, to disperse and later to discuss existing problems with the authorities in a calm atmosphere. Gahariya also expressed his willingness to resign, if necessary.
At the same time, Georgian media reported that the former president of the country, Mikhail Saakashvili, called on law enforcement officers of the country not to obey the instructions of the authorities.
Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary General of the Georgian Dream ruling party, Kakha Kaladze, said that what is happening outside the parliamentary walls had become clearly anti-constitutional and called on peaceful demonstrators not to succumb to the provocations of "adventurers-politicians" in order not to become unwitting partners in their "criminal plans."
“Georgia could not provide security”
The actions of the Georgian authorities, who failed to ensure the security of the Russian delegation during the meeting of the General Assembly of the IAO, were also criticized by the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. According to him, the actions of the Georgian leadership are contrary to the norms of holding international events.
“The venue and organization of the MAP session were agreed in advance by the Georgian side. And Georgia as a country - the organizer is responsible for holding an important international forum, and for the safety of its participants. These conditions were simply ignored: they could neither ensure the holding of the event, nor protect the Russian delegation from attack and threats, ”said Volodin.
The chairman of the lower house of parliament stressed that the action of the radicals was directed not only against Russian representatives, but also against all 25 countries that are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy.
“The statements of the Georgian authorities that followed the attack on the Russian delegation cast doubt on their adequacy and ability to be a responsible international partner,” Volodin added.
Indignation over the actions of the Georgian radical forces was also expressed by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin. According to him, an important international forum was used by the radicals "to splash out their anti-Russian sentiments." The Deputy Foreign Minister added that despite what had happened, Moscow was determined to adhere to the policy of normalizing Russian-Georgian relations, which meets the interests of the peoples of both countries.