Briefing of Aleksandre Darakhvelidze
I would like to provide public with detailed information regarding the events that developed on May 1, on Rustaveli Avenue and in the vicinity of the Parliament building.
As it is known to the public, the rally participants started to assemble at the rear entrance of the Parliament on May 1, at around 12:00. In parallel with the gathering, in order to ensure the safety of each citizen, the employees of the relevant units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were mobilized on the spot.
Later on, from approximately 18:00, protesters started gathering both at the rear entrance of the Parliament and on Rustaveli Avenue. Considering that there was a risk of blocking the entrances to the Parliament, we decided to arrange police cordon on Chitadze Street, at the same time, the police called on the citizens gathered behind the Parliament to move to Chichinadze Street and continues their protest there.
After the end of voting at the Parliament, approximately at 20:00, the Ministry of Internal Affairs ensured the safe exit for the members of the Parliament and staff from Chitadze Street.
After the parliament building was completely vacated and there was no longer any risk of attacks on the MPs, the Ministry made a decision to gradually clear the occupied territory enabling protesters to continue their manifestation in a peaceful environment, in the territory adjacent to the parliament. Despite multiple calls and warnings made by the Ministry, that the participants of the rally should express their protest in a peaceful manner and not to carry out violent actions, the group of rally participants attempted to damage the iron gate of the Parliament from the Chitadze street in a violent manner.
Despite multiple appeals of the police and other participants of the rally, the violent groups continued to damage the gate of the legislative body and attempted to break into the territory of the parliament without permission.
The police administered special means - a water cannon, in full compliance of the law, but rally participants started to dismantle the protective construction barriers on Chitadze Street and tried to damage the entrance gate by using them.
As violent actions were clearly identified, later on, the Ministry of Internal Affairs administered special means established by law, tear gas and the so-called pepper spray.
Through the live broadcasts of various TV channels, the public is witnessing that rally participants are trying to break into the parliament building with violent actions, using various objects and constructions, as well as tear gas of unknown origin, and are attacking the policemen in the yard of the parliament building.
As a result of the mentioned violent actions, an employee of the Emergency Situations Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was injured.
For the last 2 days, as a result of the violent attacks carried out by the participants of the rally, 7 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were injured, one of them underwent surgery and remains in a medical facility.
In addition to the mentioned, the participants of the rally are throwing various heavy objects, including bottles and stones as well as tear gas in the yard of the building of the Special State Protection Service, where the employees of the Department of Special Tasks are mobilized.
The public clearly saw how one of the participants of the rally damaged the video surveillance camera located on the administrative building. Once again, we call on the leaders of political parties, organizers and participants of the rally to refrain from violent actions.
Herewith, we urge them to stop attacking the Parliament building and damaging the infrastructure located in the surrounding area. In order to inform the public, we would like to state that the police are using special means established by law, namely water cannon, tear gas and pepper spray, to prevent the attack on the parliament building.
The employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, despite having a solid legal ground, did not use rubber bullets.
It should be noted that despite the fact that the protest is held in a violent manner, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has not administered the necessary measures to stop the protest, in particular, the full clean-up of the territories from demonstrators by means of the so called “robo-cops”. Therefore, it is completely incomprehensible the information spread by some TV channels that rally participants are trying to protect themselves from the law enforcement officers, while at the moment the law enforcement officers are stationed in the internal territory of the parliament where demonstrators are trying to break into the building of the parliament without permission.
Despite multiple appeals, the participants of the rally have currently blocked both sided of river Mtkvari and artificially paralyze the traffic movement.
According to Articles 11 and 11 (I) of the Law of Georgia on Assemblies and Manifestations, it is forbidden to artificially block the carriageway of transport, as well as to create obstacles to the movement of transport on purpose.
Attacking police officers and administrative buildings is not allowed by the right to assembly and demonstration, therefore, we once again call on all participants of the rally to cease violent and illegal actions and continue protest in a peaceful manner, otherwise, the police will be forced to administer special means prescribed by law and stop the progression of the protest.
