Violent demonstrations outside the Georgian Parliament intensified on Tuesday after the initial reading of a contentious bill that targets detractors and touches on Western concerns about foreign agents in Georgia. The clashes drew a crowd of hundreds, some armed with rocks, bottles, and sticks, as protesters attempted to approach the parliamentary building on Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, six individuals were detained as tensions escalated. Reports on the number of injuries from the confrontations between police and demonstrators remained unclear as night fell.
After hours of skirmishing, riot police withdrew to the parliament precinct and took position in the inner courtyard, where protesters reportedly threw several Molotov cocktails. Slogans filled the air denouncing the government and calling for democratic standards to prevail.
The crowd chanted criticisms of the ruling party, accusing lawmakers of acting as proxies for Moscow and crying out in support of Georgia’s sovereignty and European aspirations. National flags of Georgia and the European Union waved amid the chaos while some attendees targeted the office of the national Ombudsman with eggs in protest.
Around 01:20 local time, riot police were redeployed along Rustaveli Avenue with warnings that the opposition should disperse or face decisive legal measures to restore order. Within about twenty minutes, officers reported that the situation around the Parliament had been brought under control, though protesters remained in the vicinity, resisting attempts to fully clear the area.
One participant present was Leván Jabeishvili, linked to the United National Movement, the opposition coalition led by a former president who is currently imprisoned. Another figure, Nikanor Melia, urged participants not to disperse and to draw inspiration from civic movements abroad, including the protests in Kyiv in 2014 that contributed to a change in government in Ukraine.
From abroad, voices supporting the demonstrations emerged. The U.S. ambassador to Georgia spoke publicly, expressing backing for the protests while noting concerns about the bill. The ambassador highlighted that the issue touches Georgia’s democratic commitments and its ties with foreign partners, underscoring the importance of safeguarding Euro-Atlantic ambitions.
In remarks to the press, a Georgian national leader stationed in the capital emphasized that there is no law drafted under external pressure. He urged that the project not move forward and warned against political misrepresentation that could undermine national sovereignty.
Despite international criticism, a parliamentary vote saw a majority of lawmakers approve the bill, though a substantial minority opposed it. The speaker of the Parliament indicated that a formal position would be determined after a detailed review and possible consultations over the coming months. The debate, which at times grew heated into a semicircle of confrontation, drew attention to the fragility of party discipline and the sensitivity of the issue at hand.
The U.S. Embassy characterized the parliamentary proceedings as a critical moment for Georgia and warned that the law could affect relations with partners and the country’s broader European and Atlantic goals. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili defended the measure as a step toward consolidating national sovereignty and urged restraint in the face of opposition narratives that he described as irresponsible.
Opponents compared the proposed policy to historical measures used by the Kremlin to restrict criticism from political opponents, non-governmental organizations, media outlets, and other voices within civil society. Human rights activists argued that the bill would curtail freedom of expression and hinder the work of watchdog groups, NGOs, and independent media.