Georgian police deploy rubber bullets, water cannons in attempt to disperse protesters outside parliament in Tbilisi pic.twitter.com/c6y6I4HHxf
— Factual News (@factual) April 30, 2024
Authorities sealed off the area around the parliament building in Tbilisi, where tens of thousands of people gathered waving EU flags. Footage posted online showed security forces using batons, shields and tear gas against the crowds, while buses full of police were deployed to central Freedom Square of the city.
⚡️🇬🇪 Georgian security forces have started to disperse foreign agents in Tbilisi | #Georgia #Tbilisi pic.twitter.com/JxtPdWKrPd
— Goldmann 𝕏 (@JurgenKingsmann) April 30, 2024
Riot police are streaming into Tbilisi’s Freedom Square as protests against Georgia’s foreign agent law continue outside parliament and the Government Chancellery.
➡️ Live updates: https://t.co/M3Hk08cQcT pic.twitter.com/kgIb6rgiPC
— OC Media (@OCMediaorg) April 30, 2024
Georgia's interior ministry issued a statement Tuesday night asking protesters to move away from the gates around the parliament building "to ensure the safe movement of parliamentarians and staff." and "to avoid the artificial escalation of events".
⚡️ Security forces in Tbilisi try to disperse protesters with a water cannon. Video from local media.
👉Follow@blyskavka_ua pic.twitter.com/jj4QMPLTPh
— BLYSKAVKA (@blyskavka_ua) April 30, 2024
According to Politico, the violence marks a sharp escalation after weeks of public protests against proposals by the ruling Georgian Dream party to require NGOs, campaign groups and media outlets to register as "foreign agents" if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.
The regime forces, water cannon mobilized, while the huge protest is totally peaceful. #Georgia #NoToRussianLaw pic.twitter.com/CI3B6iVZZq
— Medea Ivaniadze (@medeaivan) April 30, 2024
The measures were originally proposed last year but were scrapped amid widespread public outcry and criticism from abroad that drew comparisons to legislation introduced by Russia to stifle dissent and stifle civil society. The EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in November, said the bill was "incompatible with European values". The State Department, meanwhile, said the legislation was "Kremlin-inspired" it could “restrict freedom of expression, stigmatize organizations that offer these benefits to Georgian citizens, and hinder independent media organizations working to provide Georgians with access to high-quality information.” ”
