The clashes with police took place outside the parliament building in the Georgian capital
Pro-EU protesters deployed a makeshift ‘fireworks minigun’ against riot police in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, on Saturday evening.
The large-scale protests erupted in the former Soviet country earlier this week after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced the freezing of negotiation to join the EU until 2028. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused the European bloc of using accession talks to “blackmail” Georgia.
People have gathered for a fourth consecutive night to hold a rally outside the parliament building. While some remained peaceful, others launched fireworks at the officers and threw Molotov cocktails.
The government has accused opposition parties of attempting to stage riots and fomenting “systemic violence” on the street. Georgia’s pro-EU president, Salome Zourabichvili, described the protests as peaceful and accused the police of using excessive force.She claimed that the protesters were victims of “provocations” orchestrated by the government.