On May 1, Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze held a briefing on the arrest of peaceful demonstrators during the April 30 rally against the Foreign Agents Law. The Minister announced that 63 people were arrested under Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for petty hooliganism and disobeying the lawful request of the police. He also reported that six policemen were injured by the demonstrators and that an investigation will be conducted under Article 3531 of the Criminal Code (assaulting a police officer).
The peaceful protests resumed on April 30, around 11 am, with a rally at the back of the Parliament building. Around 6 p.m., the demonstrations began in front of the Parliament, where the demonstrators set up a stage. In parallel to the rally, a parliamentary session was held inside the Parliament.
Darakhvelidze noted: “…the organizers and participants of the rally had the opportunity to express their protest throughout the day in a peaceful situation, but at the end of the day, around 9 p.m., after the plenary session was over, the participants of the rally blocked the entrances to the legislative body, which was manifested by the fact that the political leaders and participants of the rally were located at the exits of the building located on Chitadze and Chichinadze Streets.”
According to Darakhvelidze, the law on Assemblies and Demonstrations prohibits blocking the entrances to administrative buildings and disrupting their activities. “Despite numerous calls by the police and statements by the Ministry of Internal Affairs not to block the administrative building and to continue the protest within the limits established by law, the organizers of the rally did not follow the instructions of the law enforcement officers.., taking into account the situation, the police ensured that the exit from the Parliament building was cleared and a police cordon was set up on the premises so that the MPs and employees could move safely.”
He stated that the demonstrators still had the opportunity to continue with peaceful protests, but they decided to attack the policeman and “the rally turned completely violent”. He stated that the demonstrators verbally abused the policeman, “threw various heavy objects, including stones and bottles” and claimed that 6 policemen were taken to hospital due to injuries.
“In order to restore public order and de-escalate the situation, at about 22:15, after a proper warning, the police began to consistently use special means provided for by the Law of Georgia “On Police”, in particular: pepper spray, tear gas and water cannons,” – stated Darakhvelidze.
He added that after the law enforcement officers used these methods, the situation stabilized, but soon turned violent again. “After the official statement of the Ministry of Interior and the warning of the participants of the rally with a special voice on the spot, the employees of the Department of Special Tasks used a water cannon along with other special means at around 23:40 in order to prevent illegal actions and restore law and order.”
Darakhvelidze said that the rally continued violently throughout the night, with participants blocking Rustaveli Avenue with various self-made barricades and damaging the infrastructure of Tbilisi City Hall. He also claimed that political leaders became violent too, stating that UNM leader Levan Khabeishvili, who was severely beaten by the police during the rally, “in order to hinder the activities of the policemen, broke into the police cordon, resisted them, and got injured.”
“Levan Khabeishvili was immediately taken to a medical facility. In this connection, the competent services will ensure the implementation of the necessary investigative measures.”
Darakhvelidze added that the demonstrators moved to different places around 00:30, artificially barricading and blocking the streets of Tbilisi, including the left and right Mtkvari riverbanks. “The participants of the rally expressed aggression towards drivers, they also damaged the cars of private individuals. On Rustaveli Avenue, from about 04:30, the police units completely cleared Rustaveli Avenue and the area around the parliament building”.
The Deputy Interior Minister stated: “We declare once again that it is not allowed to insult law enforcement officers, attack them and any kind of violence, the Ministry will react accordingly to all such facts. It is also not allowed to block highways. According to the Law of Georgia “On Assemblies and Demonstrations” it is forbidden for the participants of the assembly or demonstration to deliberately create obstacles on the highways.”
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