TBILISI, September 9 – Tensions are rising in Georgia’s capital as protesters march through Tbilisi’s streets targeting the campaign headquarters of mayor and ruling party candidate Kakha Kaladze, where a mob violently attacked protesters yesterday.
Crowds gathered near the Philharmonic building before moving to Melikishvili Street, where they dismantled metal barricades and blocked the entrance to Kaladze’s headquarters. Demonstrators scrawled “Russian Dream” on the walls – alluding to the ruling Georgian Dream party being in the service of the Kremlin – while chanting “Russians!” and “Revolution!” They also sang the Georgian national anthem.
Police followed the marchers and urged them to leave the road to restore traffic. The atmosphere grew tense after protesters saw Georgian Dream supporters inside the headquarters and called on them to come out.
Opposition figure Elene Khoshtaria called the earlier clashes outside the office “organized violence by the so-called government’s bandits.”
The Interior Ministry said it has opened two criminal cases into the mob that violently attacked an opposition gathering outside Kaladze’s campaign office yesterday: one over group violence, and another over violence or threats during an election campaign.
