Georgia protesters try to storm Tbilisi presidential palace

The Georgian police clashed with anti -government protesters trying to storm the presidential palace in the capital Tbilisi.

Security forces used water balls and black pepper spray to distribute demonstrators.

The Caucasus country is in the crisis for demanding victory in the last year’s parliamentary elections of the ruling Georgian Dream Party. Pro -European opposition was stolen. Since then, the government has paused negotiations about joining the EU.

The protest took place on the same day as the local elections, which the opposition had largely boycotted after a government pressure. An organizer previously asked for the arrest of the Georgian Dream Party leaders.

Tens of thousands of protesters shaking Georgian and EU flags marched in the center of Tbilisi on Saturday.

Opera singer Paata Burchuladze, one of the organizers, read a statement that called the employees of the Ministry of Interior to obey the will of the people and to arrest six senior figures from the Georgian Dream Party.

The demonstrators then walked into the presidential palace and tried to enter the compound and asked the rebellion police to shoot pepper spray.

The demonstration has followed pressure on activists, independent media and political opposition in recent months, and most of the leaders of the pro -Western opposition are now behind bars.

Twenty -one -year -old IA and his friends were dressed in all black, wearing helmets and gas masks, prepared for the Saturday rally.

Bir If we wear something colorful, it will be easier to define us, and if they define us, we will go to jail, dedi he said, referring to the AI ​​surveillance cameras set up on the main Rustaveli Boulevard, the focus of the ongoing protests.

Hundreds of protesters were sentenced to a fine of 5,000 Georgians ($ 1,835; $ 1.362) because the authorities saw an illegal “blocking streets”.

“I want the Georgian dream to go. I want my country back.

IA referred to the ruling party as a “Russian dream”. This feeling is shared by many anti -government protesters.

While the Georgian Dream Party in the regions receives support with the message that it can protect peace, many Georgian government in the city centers believe that Russia’s interests are acting.

The protest took place on the day of the municipal elections, which most of the main opposition party, whose leaders were imprisoned, boycotted.

When a group of protesters tried to launch the presidential compound on Atoneli Street, the events made a violent turn.

The 24 -year -old Iraqi was trying to catch his breath after he escaped from that area.

“There were a lot of people, and then there were a lot of cops with a lot of faces, suddenly we look behind us, and we see the released gas, so all these people began to run, they were very chaotic, and the police were running and arresting people.

“Our eyes were tear and it was hard to breathe.”

He said he accused the radicals he said was not a target to storm the Presidential Palace and that he was not part of the protest movement.

Last November, the government has been protesting in Tbilisi since the government’s decision to suspend the EU negotiations on joining the EU.

Protesters demand that political prisoners be released and make the parliamentary elections.