Opposition protests turned violent as riot police deployed tear fuel and water cannon close to the presidential palace.
Printed On 4 Oct 2025
Georgian riot police have deployed water cannon, pepper spray and tear fuel to disperse protesters who tried to storm the presidential palace in Tbilisi throughout municipal elections.
The clashes befell on Saturday after opposition teams, who had boycotted the vote, referred to as for a “peaceable revolution” towards the governing Georgian Dream (GD) social gathering, accusing it of authoritarianism and adopting pro-Russia insurance policies.
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Hundreds of individuals gathered in Freedom Sq. and Rustaveli Avenue waving Georgian and EU flags in what organisers stated was a present of defiance towards GD. Some later barricaded close by streets, lit fires and clashed with riot police.
Within the night, a bunch of demonstrators moved in the direction of the palace and tried to interrupt by way of the fence, in line with witnesses.
The Ministry of Inside Affairs later declared the rally illegal, saying it had “exceeded the norms set by legislation.” Police then pushed protesters again with drive.
“In the present day is the end result of a deep disaster which is totally shaped by our pro-Russian and authoritarian authorities,” protester Davit Mzhavanadze instructed native media, in line with a report carried by Reuters. “I feel this protest will proceed till these calls for will probably be responded to correctly from our authorities.”
The governing GD, which introduced it had received management in each municipality throughout the nation of three.7 million, rejected accusations of vote-rigging. The social gathering, based by billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, denies being pro-Moscow. It says it seeks EU membership whereas sustaining stability with Russia.
Georgia, as soon as seen as one of the pro-Western states to emerge after the Soviet Union’s collapse, has seen its ties with Europe and the US deteriorate since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The federal government froze accession talks with the European Union following final yr’s disputed parliamentary election, sparking months of demonstrations.
Saturday’s confrontation was essentially the most critical flare-up in months after earlier protests had misplaced momentum. Authorities had warned upfront that they might reply firmly to any try at what they described as a push for “revolution”.
