Briefing of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandre darakhvelidze
We would like to provide the public with information regarding the developments on Rustaveli Avenue, in the areas close to the Parliament and Government Administration buildings.
On April 30, 2024 rally participants started gathering at the back entrance of the Parliament building from approximately 11 am where peaceful demonstration was taking place.
Law enforcement officers, as in the course of each gathering and demonstration, were mobilized to ensure public order and the safety of citizens.
In the afternoon, from around 18:00 pm, the manifestation also started in front of the Parliament on Rustaveli Avenue, where the participants of the rally set up a stage. The protest was joined by citizens from different places, the police ensured their peaceful movement and traffic way was blocked on Rustaveli avenue as soon as it became necessary.
It is notable that the working process and the plenary session was in progress in the legislative body in parallel with the manifestation.
I would like to emphasize that the organizers and participants of the rally had the opportunity to protest peacefully throughout the day, however, at the end of the day at approximately 21:00, after the plenary session was concluded, the protesters blocked the entrances and exits ways of the legislative body, followed by political leaders and protesters stationing themselves at the exits of the building located on Chitadze and Chichinadze streets.
They artificially blocked the exits and claimed that they would not allow Georgian MP’s to leave the Parliament building.
According to the Law of Georgia "On Assemblies and Demonstrations", it is forbidden to block the entrances of administrative bodies and to disrupt their activities, however, despite multiple calls made by police, as well as the statements published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, not to block the administrative building and to continue protest within the frames defined by the law, they failed to adhere the instructions of the law enforcement officers and continued deliberate blocking of entrances. Considering the situation, police ensured that the exit of the parliament building was cleared and a police cordon was arranged on site to enable the members of parliament to move safely.
The police ensured the safe withdrawal of the members of parliament, while providing participants of the rally with the opportunity to continue protest within the frames of the law in a peaceful manner. Although, rally participants had the opportunity to protest peacefully on Rustaveli Avenue and at the back entrance of the Parliament, protesters continued to attack police officers and attempted to break through the cordons.
The public clearly saw that manifestation took on a violent manner.
We all saw how protesters confronted police. They physically and verbally assaulted officers, threw various heavy objects, stones, bottles in their direction.
As a result of the violent actions, six police officers were injured and have been taken to medical facilities for appropriate medical assistance.
In order to restore public order and de-escalate the situation, after warning the members of the rally, at approximately 22:15, police gradually started to administer special means defined by law "On Police", in particular, the so-called pepper spray, tear gas and water cannon.
After the law enforcement officers administered a special means - pepper spray, the situation relatively stabilized, however actions of the protestors soon turned into violence.
After the official statement released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the warning of the protesters by a special audio signal on the spot, approximately on 23:40, in order to prevent illegal actions and restore the rule of law, the employees of Special Tasks Department administered water cannon along with other special means.
Violent actions on Rustaveli Avenue and in the areas adjacent to the Parliament building continued for several hours, due to which the police had to administer special means on a number of occasions. Throughout the night, participants of the rally repeatedly became aggressive towards the law enforcement officers, they occasionally threw various objects at the police, blocked Rustaveli Avenue using various items, and damaged the infrastructure of Tbilisi City Hall as well.
The public witnessed, and it was clearly visible in the live broadcasts of various media channels, the violent actions of not only rally participants, but also the leaders of the opposition. The actions of the chairman of the National Movement, Levan Khabeishvili, are clearly visible when he broke into the police cordon in order to interfere with the activities of the policemen, resisted them, during which he was injured.
Levan Khabeishvili was immediately taken to a medical facility. In connection with the mentioned, relevant services will launch an investigation.
In parallel with the protest on Rustaveli avenue, the participants of the rally started movement to different locations of Tbilisi at around 00:30 and despite their small number artificially blocked traffic on the right and left banks of Mtkvari river for several hours using objects and equipment and various items.
Rally participants expressed aggression towards drivers and damaged cars owned by citizens. On Rustaveli Avenue, from 04:30, police units completely cleared Rustaveli Avenue and the area surrounding the Parliament building.
We declare once again that on the fact of insulting law enforcement officers, attacking them and any violence, the Ministry will have a strict legal response to all such facts.
It is also unacceptable to paralyze highways. According to the Law of Georgia "On Assemblies and Demonstrations", the participants of the assembly or demonstration are prohibited from intentionally creating obstacles on highways.
The employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested 63 individuals in accordance with Articles 166 and 173 of the Code of Administrative Offenses on the facts of petty hooliganism and disobedience to the legal request of the police at the rally on Rustaveli Avenue.
We note once again that six employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs received various severe injuries during the rally on Rustaveli Avenue, as a result of the violent actions of the rally participants. In connection with the mentioned fact, the investigation is being conducted under Article 353 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
