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Protesters try to storm Georgia parliament in Tbilisi as thousands gather for anti-govt rally (LIVE) Protesters try to storm Georgia parliament in Tbilisi as thousands gather for anti-govt rally(VIDEO)
(32 minutes later)
Protesters have attempted to storm Georgia's parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi, after thousands swelled up at the building for an anti-government rally demanding resignations of top officials. Protesters have attempted to storm Georgia's parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi, after thousands swarmed the building during an anti-government rally demanding the resignations of top officials.
Around 5,000 people gathered outside the parliament in Tbilisi to protest the participation of the Russian delegation in a session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy.
Around 5,000 gathered outside the parliament to protest the participation of the Russian delegation in a session of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, hosted by Tbilisi. Tensions soared during the assembly’s session at the parliament building earlier on Thursday. Some opposition MPs were outraged by the presence of Russian delegation member Sergey Gavrilov, who was addressing the gathering from the seat of the house speaker. During a break, they occupied the speaker’s podium and prevented the summit from continuing.
Tensions spiked during the assembly’s session at the parliament building earlier on Thursday. The opposition MPs were outraged by the presence of Russian delegation member Sergey Gavrilov, who was addressing the gathering from the seat of the house speaker. During a break, they occupied the speaker’s podium and prevented the summit from continuing.
The demonstrators attempted to make their way into the parliaments’ courtyard, which was protected by the Special Forces.The demonstrators attempted to make their way into the parliaments’ courtyard, which was protected by the Special Forces.
The protesters' behavior was, in many cases, provocative. One of the videos from the scene shows them taking away a policeman’s riot gear and passing it around among themselves. There are also reports of bottles being thrown at security forces.
The Georgian Interior Ministry has urged the crowd to refrain from illegal actions, promising to “use all means within the law” to restore order.The Georgian Interior Ministry has urged the crowd to refrain from illegal actions, promising to “use all means within the law” to restore order.
The opposition has vowed that people will stay on the streets until parliament chairman, Irakli Kobakhidze, and several other top officials, who had allowed this to happen, offer their resignations. The opposition has vowed that people will stay on the streets until parliament chairman Irakli Kobakhidze and several other top officials, who are accused of allowing the Russian parliamentarians' visit, offer their resignations.
Interior Minister, Giorgi Gakharia, told reporters that he was ready to meet the demands of the demonstrators, saying: “No problem. I will resign if there is such a need.” Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia told reporters that he was ready to meet the demands of the demonstrators.
Kobakhidze, who was on an official visit to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, said that he had no intention of leaving his post. “No problem. I will resign if there is such a need,” he said.
However, Kobakhidze, who was on an official visit to Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, said that he had no intention of leaving his post.
The Russian Foreign Ministry blasted the protests, saying that “the radical opposition in Georgia has exploited an important international forum, aimed at uniting the Orthodox nations of the world, to unleash its anti-Russian sentiment.”The Russian Foreign Ministry blasted the protests, saying that “the radical opposition in Georgia has exploited an important international forum, aimed at uniting the Orthodox nations of the world, to unleash its anti-Russian sentiment.”
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