Protests escalate in Tbilisi: Clashes with police intensify
Another restless morning in Georgia. As reported by Paper Kartuli, "The police chased protesters in the Vake Park area. People began to flee to neighbouring gardens. Security forces attacked protesters and detained them with excessive force."
A real battle erupted in front of the Georgian parliament on Sunday evening, with protesters using fireworks and the police deploying water cannons. Drenched by the security forces, demonstrators danced defiantly in front of the cannons. The sky over Tbilisi resembled New Year's Eve.
On the facade of the building, graffiti was projected: "F--- Russia", "Make noise".
Over 200,000 people on the streets
According to the protesters, more people are participating in the action than on Saturday, when the opposition estimated the number of demonstrators to be 200,000.
Detentions continued throughout the night. In one recording, policemen can be seen suddenly rushing at the protesters, proceeding to beat, kick, and attack them with tear gas. The video clearly shows that the protesters were merely documenting the protests.
Early in the morning, around 1 PM Greenwich Time, policemen brutally beat a man at a subway entrance. In the video, several fully uniformed policemen pursue the protester and then carry him away like a sack of potatoes.
"The police chased protesters in the Vake Park area. People began to flee to neighbouring gardens. Security forces attacked protesters and detained them with excessive force," reported Paper Kartuli on Monday morning.
Tbilisi Life reports that policemen are also attacking journalists who are covering the protests.
This is evident in the published video, where Aprili Giorgi Baskhajauri, who was recording the protests, is suddenly attacked by a policeman.
"They created a real hell"
One of the protesters told Tbilisi Life that the morning in Georgia was terrible.
- They (policemen) followed us everywhere, even to the fourth floor. We managed to hide in the lift just seconds before they arrived. The remaining people were pushed to the underground station, where they encountered a real nightmare – they were beaten indiscriminately: women and men, forced into the subway and also beaten and detained there - says a witness.
On Sunday evening, the Georgian public broadcaster reported that they are ready to host the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, and offer her airtime for an interview. The pro-Western leader is expected to appear on public television on Tuesday or Wednesday.
