Protesters in Tbilisi clashed with police during a rally against the foreign agents law. Molotov cocktails were hurled at officers as the demonstration escalated, according to reports from News. The events unfolded as crowds confronted law enforcement amid a broader dispute over the measure described as the transparency of foreign influence.
Sputnik Georgia cited authorities saying that tear gas and rubber bullets were deployed in response to violent actions by protesters. The publication notes that demonstrators also threw stones and bottles, including Molotov cocktails, as tensions rose around the parliament building.
Some protesters attempted to reach the parliamentary service entrance, but police blocked access and employed specialized equipment to control the crowd, aiming to quell the unrest and secure the venue.
On the evening of March 7, Georgia’s Parliament approved the law on foreign agents, titled On the Transparency of Foreign Influence. The decision triggered thousands to take to the streets during the initial reading, signaling strong public opposition to the measure and its implications for civil society and media freedom.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili attended portions of the protests, with reports indicating she also had planned public remarks. She subsequently canceled planned meetings in New York to focus on the unfolding demonstrations in Tbilisi, underscoring the political urgency surrounding the issue.