Students say they were fined by police for protesting in Shota Rustaveli State University of Theatre and Cinema

Law enforcement officers have fined some of the striking students at the Shota Rustaveli State University of Theatre and Cinema. According to the students, approximately 10 students were fined.

As the students say, law enforcement officers fined them for violating the rules of the assembly, which provides for a fine of 5,000 GEL.

“They told us that protests are not allowed inside the university. Since we did not obey what the administration asked us to do, we were all fined 5,000 GEL. At this stage, they are writing down everyone’s name and surname and issuing fines,” said one of the students.

According to the students, this morning, the University began sanitary work without warning the students present on site. They said the administration urged students to use another space to continue the protest, which the students refused, explaining that the proposed alternative space was too small. In addition, the students demanded that the university give them another space, which was refused by the administration representative.

According to the protesters, an argument broke out between the students and university representatives, which led to the university calling the police. Initially, after talking to the students and the administration, the police left the building, but law enforcement officers returned to the university and fined them.