Riots in Georgia: Clash of citizens and police

Ruling party Georgia, Georgian Dream, won in all 64 municipalities in the local elections, according to data from the Central Election Commission (CEC) after processing 100 percent of the ballots. The candidate for mayor of Tbilisi from the ruling party, Kaha Kaladze, also won over 71 percent of the vote.

Protests and arrest

Meanwhile, Georgia's interior ministry said five members of opposition parties had been arrested for calling for a coup and overthrowing the government, crimes punishable by up to nine years in prison.

The opposition rally in Tbilisi started last night, October 4, on the day of local elections. Demonstrators initially gathered at Freedom Square, and some moved towards the residence of the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili. They broke through the iron barriers erected in front of the residence, and the riot police suppressed them, using pepper spray and water cannons.

Is the EU interfering?

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the protesters who tried to force their way into the presidential palace were actually trying to topple the government and accused European Union for interfering in Georgian politics.

Kobakhidze said that up to 7.000 people participated in the rally, but that their attempt to overthrow the constitutional order failed, despite the support of the European Union.

"No one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility," said Kobakhidze, who accused EU Ambassador Pavel Herchinski of interfering in Georgian politics and called on him to condemn the protests.

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