Tension Escalates in Tbilisi as Protesters Clash with Police

Sat Oct 11 2025 03:33:14 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Anti-government protests in Georgia lead to arrests and clashes with police, reflecting rising tensions over alleged election fraud and political repression.

In Tbilisi, Georgia, clashes erupted between police and anti-government protesters who attempted to storm the presidential palace. The unrest follows allegations of election fraud by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has faced widespread criticism and boycotts from opposition groups. Security forces responded with water cannons and pepper spray, resulting in injuries and arrests, including several prominent activists. Demonstrators are calling for political reforms and the release of political prisoners.

Police in Georgia have arrested five people after clashes with anti-government protesters trying to storm the presidential palace in the capital, Tbilisi.

Security forces used water cannons and pepper spray to disperse demonstrators.

The Caucasus country has been in crisis since the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed victory in last year's election, which the pro-European Union opposition says was stolen. Since then the government has paused talks on joining the EU.

The protest took place on the same day as local elections, which the opposition is largely boycotting following a government crackdown. Georgian Dream won majorities in every municipality, with more than 80% of the vote.

Those arrested included opera singer Paata Burchuladze, one of the protest organizers.

Earlier, he read out a declaration urging the employees of the ministry of internal affairs to obey the will of the people and to immediately arrest six senior figures from the Georgian Dream party.

The government said 21 police officers and six protesters were taken to hospital with injuries.

Waving Georgian and EU flags, tens of thousands of protesters marched in central Tbilisi on Saturday.

Demonstrators then marched on the presidential palace and tried to enter the compound, prompting riot police to fire pepper spray.

The demonstration follows a crackdown on activists, independent media and political opposition in recent months, with most of the leaders of the pro-Western opposition now behind bars.

On Sunday, Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that no one will go unpunished after what he claimed was an attempted overthrow of the government.

Twenty-one-year-old Ia and her friends came to the Saturday rally prepared, dressed all in black, wearing helmets and gas masks.

Hundreds of protesters have been penalized with massive 5,000 Georgian lari ($1,835; £1,362) fines for what the authorities consider an illegal act of blocking the streets.

In the regions, the Georgian Dream party enjoys support with its message that it can keep the peace, while in urban centers many Georgians believe their government is acting in Russia's interests.

The protest took place on the day of the municipal elections boycotted by most mainstream opposition parties, whose leaders are in jail. The protesters demand the release of political prisoners and holding snap parliamentary elections.