Police Use Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets In Georgia Pro-EU Protest Crackdown

Tbilisi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st May, 2024) Georgian police on Tuesday used tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters, an AFP reporter saw, as thousands rallied for a third week against a controversial "foreign influence" bill.

The Black Sea Caucasus nation has been gripped by mass anti-government protests since April 9, after the ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced plans to pass a law, which Brussels has denounced as undermining Tbilisi's EU aspirations.

On Monday evening, masked riot police violently cracked down on the peaceful rally, using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets while beating and arresting scores of people protesting against the bill.

Critics say the measures resembles Russian legislation used to silence dissent.

Blocking traffic on Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi's main thoroughfare, several thousand protesters gathered outside parliament earlier on Tuesday, the third week of youth-dominated daily rallies against the measure.

"They are scared because they see our resolve," one of the protesters, 21-year-old Natia Gabisonia, told AFP. "We will not let them pass this Russian law and bury our European future."

MPs were debating the draft law's second reading on Tuesday, with the ruling party aiming to adopt it in mid-May.

The bill needs to pass three readings in parliament and a presidential signature to become law. Georgia's president is widely expected to veto the measure, but the ruling party has enough seats to override the veto in parliament.