According to the testimony of Giorgi Tsevelidze, Head of the First Division of the Second Department of the Special State Protection Service, “on October 4, following violent actions by protesters, they reinforced the gate of the Presidential Palace as much as possible and locked it with padlocks.”

As the witness stated during his court testimony, protesters physically assaulted them and verbally insulted them.

“The protesters began verbal abuse, shaking and rocking the fence. They were swearing at us, asking who we were with and whom we were protecting. As a result of the shaking, the fence began to wobble…

We started giving verbal warnings that they were violating the law. They then began storming in, using physical violence, kicking and punching; a large part of the crowd crossed over. One person had a mask on his face and a helmet on his head. He swung the helmet at my head; I dodged it and it hit me in the shoulder blades. I experienced pain.

Within at most a minute after the violence began, units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrived. They took proportionate measures; part of the protesters retreated and left the yard. However, another part and so-called organizers joined them with chants: ‘The palace is ours, we are not retreating.’

Initially they were outside the yard, and after these calls, Murtaz Zodelava and Irakli Nadiradze entered. I do not remember Paata Burchuladze entering, but I do remember that he was inside.

Nadiradze and Zodelava linked arms with each other; the message was that they would not retreat. I saw Burchuladze talking to riot police officers, telling them to step back, saying that the palace belonged to them and to the people…

The crowd did not stop violent actions. After that, additional Interior Ministry units were deployed; pepper spray was used, but they still did not stop the violence or leave the palace territory, after which water cannons were used.

At the first stage there were about 15-20 people when they broke the fence and stormed in; afterward, the flow did not stop,” Tsevelidze said.

According to him, he cannot identify any of the defendants or say whether any of them were present there.

For information: In connection with the events of October 4, Gocha Katashvili, Sulkhan Abralava, Konstantine Kokaia, Davit Zhghenti, Kakhaber Mzhavanadze, Aleksandre Gogoladze, Davit Sturua, Eva Shashiashvili, Zakro Albutashvili, Genadi Kelikhashvili, Dato Ghutskaya, Ramaz Jorbenadze, Jandri Tirqia, Giorgi Chakhunashvili, and Ia Darakhvelidze were charged under Article 19-222(2)(a) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns attempted seizure and blocking of strategic and especially important facilities committed by a group. They are also charged under Article 225(2), which concerns participation in group violence.

Ia Darakhvelidze, Giorgi Chakhunashvili, and Eva Shashiashvili are free on bail.