As many as 43 individuals were detained during a pro-EU protest outside the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi on the morning of Friday, according to the country's Interior Ministry.
The arrests were made on administrative charges of petty hooliganism and disobeying lawful police orders, News.Az reports, citing Georgian media.The protest erupted after Irakli Kobakhidze said GD leadership decided to stall the EU accession process “until 2028” to evade fulfilling the conditions posed by Brussels that “contradict Georgian values.”
In its statement, the ministry claimed it acted to “protect public order,” accusing protesters of provoking officers and engaging in physical and verbal confrontations with them. The ministry said protesters hurled glass bottles, stones, metal objects, and firecrackers and were met by the police use of “special means allowed by law.”
The ministry reported that 32 police officers were injured overnight, with 13 requiring surgical intervention and one remaining hospitalized. It also stated further investigations are underway on charges of assaulting the police officers and damaging property.
