The participants of the rally in Tbilisi put forward a number of demands to the parliament, but none of the authorities came out to the protesters.
Giorgi Vashadze, a spokesman for Georgia’s opposition Strategy Agmashenebeli Party, announced conditions for parliament on behalf of protesters against the March 7 law on “foreign agents”. The activist gave the parliamentarians one hour to fulfill the demands, but after the specified time, none of the authorities came out to the protesters and people began to surround the parliament, the Focus correspondent reports.
Giorgi Vashadze gave the appropriate command to the protesters.
Protesters in Tbilisi begin to surround parliament
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It should be noted that according to the earlier voiced demands, the Georgian parliament had to cancel the law on “foreign agents” within an hour, as well as release 66 citizens detained at the rally the day before.
“If the authorities do not agree to a dialogue, the action will cease to be peaceful,” the Focus correspondent reports from the scene in Tbilisi.
Protesters in Georgia voiced their demands
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The Focus correspondent also reported that some protesters tried to knock out the gates to the parliament, but they were stopped by members of the opposition, noting that it was a peaceful protest. Now the Georgians continue to surround the building.
Georgians tried to knock out the gates to the parliament
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What is known about the protests in Georgia
On Tuesday, March 7, the Georgian parliament adopted in the first reading the law on “foreign agents”, which inherits the legislation of the Russian Federation.
The bill obliges organizations and mass media that receive more than 20% of their income from abroad to enter their data in the register of “agents of foreign influence.” Violations of the new law are punishable by imprisonment.
As a sign of protest against the “Russian law” on March 7, the citizens of Georgia went to a mass protest. Local security forces used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets against the protesters. In response, Molotov cocktails flew towards the law enforcement officers.
The next day, a women’s march against the law on “foreign agents” began under the parliament building. At the action one could see posters with the inscription Stop Russia.
A Focus correspondent reported that on March 8, more than 15,000 people took to the streets of Tbilisi. Georgians take clothes, masks and eye drops with them.
