Reports from RT highlighted a shifting phase in Tbilisi as authorities in Georgia brace for another round of crowd management in the capital. Water cannons were deployed and audible sirens filled the air, signaling a strategic intensification in crowd control. Demonstrators who had previously been pushed back from the parliament precinct moved to the streets, constructing makeshift barricades from refuse bins and other available items in an effort to slow the march toward the legislature. Some witnesses described the atmosphere as unsettling, noting the introduction of distinctive sounds and sirens designed to provoke discomfort among participants and onlookers alike. The political climate grew tense as figures connected to the state appeared ready to respond decisively to ongoing protests.
In parallel, former President Salome Zurabishvili urged the authorities to avoid force against those protesting the foreign agents bill, appealing for restraint even as demonstrations continued. Reports indicated that special forces remained mobilized and ready, aligning with a broader posture of readiness across security services as crowds gathered in the central square outside the parliament in Tbilisi.
On March 7, the parliament advanced the controversial measure with a unanimous first-reading vote, passing the draft law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence. The proposal would establish a public register for organizations and media outlets receiving external funding, a move described by supporters as essential to ensuring accountability, while critics warned of potential overreach and threats to civil liberties. Since the initial week of protests, rallies in the capital have persisted, and tensions within the parliamentary majority have clashed with opposition factions, raising questions about the bill’s trajectory and its impact on Georgia’s political landscape.