TBILISI, October 4 – A large opposition rally in Tbilisi called for the arrest of the prime minister and other government members in the evening of local elections, as protesters tore down barriers and tried to enter the presidential residence.
The protest was organized by the movement Rustaveli Avenue, led by opera star Paata Burchuladze and joined by ex-official Murtaz Zodelava, began peacefully at Freedom Square, where Burchuladze read a declaration claiming that “power belongs to the Georgian people.” He named Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and five other ruling-party figures as “main perpetrators” and demanded their arrest.
Zodelava then urged a group of men, whom he called “the men’s force,” to march toward the president’s residence on Atoneli Street to “take the keys to the palace.” The crowd, numbering several hundred, moved toward the palace, and some at the front tore down barriers, clashing with police. Special-forces units responded with pepper spray and later deployed water cannons to disperse the wider crowd, which numbered at least a thousand, some of whom were wearing gas masks. Burchuladze was among those sprayed and later taken to a hospital for examination.
As tensions grew, police reinforcements arrived in several buses. The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a statement saying the rally had “exceeded the limits” set by law and that organizers were calling for the occupation of state buildings. Authorities urged protesters to comply with police orders, warning that otherwise “lawful measures” would follow.
By nightfall, the confrontation had spread toward Orbeliani Square and nearby Leonidze Street, where police used tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons. Several people, including a TV cameraman, were injured. Emergency crews provided first aid on the scene.
Protesters set fire to barricades made of benches and furniture, chanting “to the end!” as police periodically pushed them back. Parts of Freedom Square and Atoneli Street remained sealed off late into the night, with heavily equipped riot units maintaining control.
Burchuladze later told reporters he would “return to the protest” after medical checks, while police announced ongoing investigations into incidents of “group violence.”
