Police Disperse Opposition Sit-In Near Georgian Parliament
The special police units have dispersed the opposition sit-in near the Georgian Parliament. From the stage set up in front of the Parliament, calls from the organizers of the protest urged participants not to fall for provocations and to avoid confrontation with the special forces.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs deployed tear gas and water cannons to clear the area. By 5:20 PM, the police managed to disperse the protesters from all entrances to the Parliament. The entrances to the Parliament are now open.
It is worth noting that the Parliament building had been blocked by protesters for about 24 hours. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had warned those gathered that the protest would be dispersed within half an hour.
Currently, the leaders of the gathering are convened at the Marriott Hotel to discuss their next steps. In an interview with journalists, opposition figure David Usupashvili expressed hope that the international community would give due attention to today's events and stand by Georgia.
Recall that continuous protests began outside the Georgian Parliament following the failure of a bill to transition to a proportional electoral system. The united opposition, composed of more than 20 political entities, has gathered against the current government, demanding early proportional parliamentary elections, the resignation of the government, the formation of a temporary government, and the restructuring of the Central Election Commission.