Clashes Occur between Opposition and GD Supporters outside Mtskheta City Hall
The opposition leaders and civil activists are holding a rally outside the City Hall building in Mtskheta, a town near Georgia's capital Tbilisi. Supporters of the ruling party Georgian Dream are also gathered nearby. Clashes occurred between the opposing sides several times during the rally.
The police cordon is arranged between the demonstrators to ensure safety and public order.
Initially, a Georgian Dream supporter managed to break the police cordon and move to the side where the opposition and civil activists are holding a rally, after which the activist of the ruling party physically confronted one of the protesters.
In addition, there were several other cases of confrontation.
"Did you try to beat kids yesterday? You are shameful people," one of the leaders of the European Georgia party, Giga Bokeria, addressed the supporters of the government.
Bokeria's words refer to yesterday's confrontation outside the GD office, when five activists of 'It's A Shame' movement, including one minor, were injured during the clash between opposition supporters and young activists of the ruling party.
Members of the 'Change' and 'It's A Shame' movements held a rally on November 2. Later, representatives of the Georgian Dream youth organization gathered there, which led to clashes between the demonstrators.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation into the mentioned case.
The protests in Georgia were sparked after the rejection of an election bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, offering the transition to a fully proportional electoral system from 2020 instead of 2024.
The demonstrators accuse the current state leadership of "breaking its promise and cheating people" as the ruling party agreed to conduct the 2020 parliamentary elections using a fully proportional electoral system during the internationally renowned June protests in Tbilisi. Protesters demand the second hearing in Parliament on the proportional elections, and some are pushing for snap elections.
By Ana Dumbadze