Peaceful protestors gathered in front of the Parliament of Georgia for the seventeenth day, calling for Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia to resign over police brutality when disbanding the rally during the night of 20-21 June.
The demonstration resumed at 7pm as usual, but continued with a march to the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s residence in around an hour.
Calling it a “March for Freedom against Occupation” the organizers of Tbilisi protests said they will not stop until Gakharia resigns. According to protestors, Rustaveli Avenue will turn into the venue of “a new national movement, new civic society.”
Tensions mounted around 10pm Tbilisi time on June 20, when part of the protestors tried to break through the first cordon of the police, but were pushed back by the riot police. Situation remained tense overnight.
240 people, including 80 police officers and 12 journalists have been treated for injuries. Many severe injuries to civilians occurred later during the night after the police dispersed protestors through massive use of tear gas and rubber bullets, including so called “less-lethal” rounds.
Follow our tag on Tbilisi protests for further developments
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)