Int'l Media Responds to Rally Dispersal outside CEC Building in Tbilisi
International media has responded to the post-election protests and rally dispersal in Georgia last night, when law enforcers used water cannons against the protesters gathered near the CEC building in Tbilisi.
Reuters published an article entitled "Georgian police clash with election protesters."
"Georgian police used water cannon on Sunday against hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Central Election Commission (CEC) building to support a call by opposition parties for a rerun of the Oct. 31 parliamentary elections.
"Protesters then started throwing stones at the police. The demonstrators had moved to the CEC building from the capital’s main Rustaveli Avenue, where thousands of people held a rally.
"The opposition is demanding the resignation of the CEC chief Tamar Zhvania and the calling of a fresh election as it argues that the election results were rigged," Reuters reports in the article by Margarita Antidze.
The BBC also reported on last night's unrest in the capital.
"Police in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, have fired water cannons at crowds protesting against the results of last week's parliamentary election," the BBC reports.
"Thousands of people gathered outside the Central Election Commission to demand a new vote, after accusing the governing party of rigging the poll. The Georgian Dream party has denied the accusations of fraud.
"International election observers said "fundamental freedoms were respected" but criticized aspects of the process.
"Georgian Dream, which was founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili and has been in power since 2012, secured over 48% of votes in the 31 October election. The victory gives the party the right to form the country's next government. But the thousands of protesters who marched in Tbilisi rejected the result and called for the resignation of both the police chief and the election commission," reads the article.
Deutsche Welle also reflected on the dispersal of the rally with an article entitled "Election protesters clash with police in Tbilisi."
"Police in Georgia used water cannon and tear gas on protesters demanding a rerun of the nation's recent tightly contested elections. The opposition has accused the ruling party of vote-buying and threats against voters.
"Demonstrators who gathered outside the Central Election Commission (CEC) building were confronted by police. Live television footage showed riot police firing water cannon without warning after demonstrators threatened to blockade the building.
"Earlier, some 45,000 opposition supporters rallied outside the Georgian parliament, denouncing alleged fraud in the October 31 election in which the ruling Georgia Dream party claimed victory," reads the article.
The demonstrators and opposition leaders vowed daily protests until a fresh vote was called.
A protest rally is also scheduled for today, at 18:00, in front of the Parliament building on central Rustaveli Avenue. Despite the newly imposed restriction on movement from 22:00 to 5:00 due to coronavirus, which enters into force today, demonstrators intend to go ahead with the rally.
By Ana Dumbadze
Image: EPA
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