Peaceful Protestors Demand Proportionate Elections

Thousands of protestors peacefully gathered in front of the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue on Friday evening.

Protestors demanded the introduction of a proportional voting system and elections in 2020, as well as the release of the 300 detainees arrested during Thursday’s violent clashes and the resignation of Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Gakharia.

The demonstrations continued into the early hours of Saturday morning when most of the crowd dispersed, planning to continue from 7 PM on Saturday evening.

Opposition leaders who attended the protest were prevented from making public statements. Protestors shouted “go, go” at the founder of European Georgia Gigi Ugulava, who was planning to make a statement during a live broadcast.

Netzgazeti reported that police detained one protestor for blocking a police car, but the protest remained peaceful.

The protests began on Thursday afternoon after Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov made a speech from the speaker’s chair in Georgian parliament during the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy.

Protestors carried placards written “Russia is occupant” and “My country is occupied by Russia.”

On Friday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin banned direct flights to Georgia, encouraging Russians to avoid visiting the country.

The protestors will resume this evening from 7 PM, with some protestors saying they could continue for months.

By Amy Jones

Photo source - Tamuna Qarqashadze