In Tbilisi, a mass protest is ongoing due to the Georgian Parliament's adoption of the second reading of the law on foreign agents. Demonstrators are attempting to storm the parliament building, while the police are denying the use of rubber bullets against people, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and the Novosti - Georgia edition.
Protesters have approached the parliament gates using barricades and are attempting to storm them.
Due to the situation, the parliament building has been placed on red alert. Everyone inside the building must immediately evacuate. It is stated that only individuals whose presence is necessary may remain in the building, and this list is approved by the head of the parliament's apparatus.
The red security mode was introduced at 23:00 on May 1.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Aleksandre Darakhvelidze announced at a briefing that protest participants are using tear gas and asphyxiating gas of unknown origin. Such gas is not sold in any open network stores.
"We will definitely look into this and find out how it got to the rally," Darakhvelidze said.
He also reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs employees had a complete legal basis but did not use rubber bullets against protesters.
However, eyewitnesses confirm that law enforcement officers used rubber bullets against people.
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili called on protesters to leave the side gates of the parliament alone.
"I want to address, some unnecessary things, step away from the parliament doors, there is nothing more happening inside... These doors will not solve anything, except for gas dispersal and violence, which we do not need to provoke...," she said.
She reminded about Holy Week and called not to disrupt the peaceful nature of the rally on Shota Rustaveli Avenue. The main goal, Zourabichvili reminded, is the elections and the cancellation of laws that divert Georgia from the European path.
Protests in Georgia
On Wednesday, May 1, the Georgian Parliament adopted in the second reading the controversial bill On the Transparency of Foreign Influence, also known as the Foreign Agents Law. It is similar to the current law in Russia. For final approval, the document must pass the third and final reading.
On the eve of the vote, on Tuesday, April 30, mass protests resumed in the centre of Tbilisi regarding the adoption of the bill.
In particular, law enforcement officers are using rubber bullets against people.
More details about the protests in Georgia can be found in the article by RBC-Ukraine.
