This is reported by “Echo of the Caucasus” and News Georgia.
The dispersal of the protest, which had lasted for two days, began around 7 AM local time. Special forces and water cannons appeared on the scene; however, during the actual dispersal, the police did not use special means.
Prior to this, a representative of the Georgian security forces warned political opposition leaders about the intention to dismantle the camp, where several hundred people were present at that time. The number of police officers was significantly larger, according to Georgian media. Protesters were given 15 minutes to leave the tent camp.
Eventually, they were pushed away from the area adjacent to Tbilisi State University, and their tent city was dismantled. Instead, they regrouped on Melikishvili Avenue, attempting to block the road.
There, the first arrests took place. In a video circulated by the media, law enforcement officers can be seen using force against protesters while others attempt to rescue those who were detained. The exact number of those arrested remains unknown.
Meanwhile, opposition leaders in Tbilisi announced that they would declare further actions in the coming hours. It is still unclear whether the protest under Tbilisi State University will continue or if it will take place elsewhere.
According to one of the opposition leaders, Nika Melia, “the struggle does not stop,” and the scale and intensity of the protest will increase.
“We will free this country from them (referring to the current authorities – ed.) without using force. This is Georgia, this is Europe, this is not Russia. How long do we need to cultivate a freedom-loving nation? This will never end, it has not ended for thousands of years and will not end even now,” he stated.
On October 26, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. According to the counting of 99.9% of the votes, the “Georgian Dream” party emerged victorious, which has been in power until now. It received only 53.93% of the voter turnout.
However, the day before, opposition Georgian political forces declared that they would not recognize the election results in the country. The results were also not recognized by President Salome Zurabishvili.
Georgian law enforcement opened 47 criminal cases regarding possible crimes related to the parliamentary elections. In particular, charges were brought against two suspects who threw a whole bundle of ballots into a ballot box at one of the polling stations.
International observers noted that while Georgian voters had a wide choice among parties, the voting process was marred by unequal conditions, pressure, and tension. However, the Tbilisi court dismissed all claims from opposition political forces and public organizations demanding that the final protocols of the district commissions be declared invalid.
Following this, opposition parties in Georgia announced a permanent street protest demanding new parliamentary elections. People spent their first night in tents on the streets.