We would like to emphasize that the destructive actions of the protest participants posed a threat to the health and lives of both the protest participants and the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze stated this at a briefing.

According to the Deputy Minister, the actions of the protest participants repeatedly exceeded the framework defined by the Law on Assembly and Manifestation and escalated into violent actions.

“We would like to once again provide the public with information about the events that have taken place on Rustaveli Avenue and the territory adjacent to the Parliament in recent days.

As the public clearly saw, the protest action repeatedly exceeded the norms permitted by the Law on Assembly and Manifestation and escalated into violent actions.

We followed the actions of the protest participants and the chronology of the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ response in detail.

Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are mobilized during all gatherings and demonstrations and maintain public order.

After the protest began, police forces were deployed in the area around Chitadze and the rear entrance of the Parliament, so that the participants of the gatherings and demonstrations had the opportunity to freely express their protest in a peaceful environment.

Nevertheless, some of the protesters moved to the rear entrance of the Parliament and began to engage in provocative actions, which manifested themselves in verbal and physical confrontations with the police. Also, the protesters threw stones, glass bottles, pyrotechnics, various metal objects, eggs, paints at the police officers at the rear entrance of the Parliament and on Chitadze Street, and verbally abused the police officers. As a result of the violent actions taken by the protesters, several police officers received various, including serious, injuries.

In order to de-escalate the situation and protect the lives and health of law enforcement officers, the Ministry of Internal Affairs decided to replace the patrol and criminal police officers with specially equipped officers of the Special Tasks Department, although the violent actions against law enforcement officers continued for hours.

Through live broadcasts, everyone clearly saw that some of the protest participants moved to the gates of the parliament building located on Chichinadze Street and began to damage the gates in a group manner, the alleged purpose of which was to break into the legislative body.

Despite numerous calls made to the protest participants by law enforcement officers, as well as officially distributed statements by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to stop violent actions and express their protest in peaceful forms, the protest participants continued their illegal actions. We emphasize that the destructive actions of the protest participants posed a threat to the health and lives of both the protest participants and the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The actions of the protest participants repeatedly exceeded the framework defined by the law on assembly and demonstration and escalated into violent actions. Accordingly, the police, in accordance with the law, cleared the streets surrounding the parliament building of violent groups.

Despite the above, members of the violent group positioned themselves on Rustaveli Avenue, in front of the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel, and continued their aggressive and violent actions towards the police, which was manifested in the throwing of various objects and pyrotechnics.

In addition, the violent groups artificially blocked Rustaveli Avenue with benches, garbage cans, so-called "scooters", inventory owned by cafes and bars located in the surrounding area, and then set fire to it.

They also damaged the infrastructure located in the surrounding area, both private and municipal, and set fire to garbage cans and wooden benches.

The public clearly saw that the violent groups were constantly collecting large stones and various construction waste with the aim of attacking the police officers. Accordingly, the police made a decision and ensured the restoration of public order on Rustaveli Avenue and the removal of artificially erected barricades. In this process, 107 people were detained by the police.

Over the course of two days, 42 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were seriously injured as a result of the violent actions of the protest participants. They were taken to medical institutions with various injuries, including burns and fractures.

Once again, we warn and call on the protest participants to express their protest within the limits permitted by law, otherwise, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will take all measures provided for by law in order to de-escalate the situation,” Darakhvelidze said at the briefing.