Georgian police said on Saturday they had arrested 48 people during a pro-EU protest on Friday for the ninth day in a row.
Security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands of people who had gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi in the evening to demand new elections and a return to European integration. “Law enforcement officers detained 48 people for disobeying lawful police orders and petty hooliganism,” the interior ministry said in a statement.
The demonstration on Friday evening was largely peaceful until riot police intervened to clear the area, AFP reporters saw. Clashes followed, with police making arrests and protesters throwing fireworks at security forces.
The Caucasus country has been plunged into crisis since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in a disputed election on October 26. The government, which critics accuse of creeping authoritarianism and steering the country back toward Russia, said last week it would suspend EU accession talks, sparking a fresh wave of demonstrations. Hundreds of arrests have been made, sparking outrage at home and growing international condemnation. | BGNES, AFP
