Updates on the Protest in front of the Parliament

Rustaveli Ave is covered in smoke from the tear gas, protestors and police.
Reportedly, 30 participants of the protest and 39 policemen were injured during the clashes between civilians and law-enforcement officers, though none critically. Two civilians lost an eye after being hit by a rubber bullet.

Shalva Natelashvili, the founder of Georgian Labor Party, visited the Ingorokva clinic where the injured are hospitalized. He announced to media that another protest will be organized tomorrow [today, Friday] in the capital and the oppositional parties together will present their plan to deal with the issues that arose on Thursday. “I expect many more people will show tomorrow than today,” said Natelashvili.

The protestors refuse to leave the territory of the Georgian Parliament. The protest will not stop until their demands are met, as they report. Around 10 Emergency cars are mobilized on Rustaveli Ave. where civilians and the policemen stand in separate groups. The situation varies between periods of calm and rioting.

The politicians who protested alongside the civilians today have been out of picture for a few hours.

Mobilization was announced in the regions of Georgia – in Zugdidi, law-enforcers were asked to come to the police base. Presumably, these policemen will be brought to Tbilisi.
 

Photo copyright: Dato Gagoshidze.
By Nini Dakhundaridze