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Georgia protests: Thousands storm parliament over Russian MP's speech | Georgia protests: Thousands storm parliament over Russian MP's speech |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Protesters have attempted to storm Georgia's parliament during a mass rally against a speech inside the chamber by a Russian lawmaker. | Protesters have attempted to storm Georgia's parliament during a mass rally against a speech inside the chamber by a Russian lawmaker. |
Riot police stopped them from entering the building, reportedly using tear gas and rubber bullets. | Riot police stopped them from entering the building, reportedly using tear gas and rubber bullets. |
Tensions flared up when Sergei Gavrilov addressed an assembly of MPs from Orthodox Christian countries from the seat of the speaker. | Tensions flared up when Sergei Gavrilov addressed an assembly of MPs from Orthodox Christian countries from the seat of the speaker. |
Russia and Georgia have fought over two breakaway Georgian regions. | Russia and Georgia have fought over two breakaway Georgian regions. |
Abkhazia and South Ossetia were occupied by Russia in 2008. | Abkhazia and South Ossetia were occupied by Russia in 2008. |
Moscow recognises them as independent states and Russian troops have remained there since. | Moscow recognises them as independent states and Russian troops have remained there since. |
Thursday's protests left 39 police officers and 30 protesters in hospital with injuries, according to an advisor to Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze quoted by the AFP news agency. | |
What caused the protests? | What caused the protests? |
Mr Gavrilov was taking part in the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), a body set up by the Greek parliament in 1993 to foster relationships between Christian Orthodox lawmakers. | Mr Gavrilov was taking part in the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), a body set up by the Greek parliament in 1993 to foster relationships between Christian Orthodox lawmakers. |
Opposition MPs in Georgia's pro-Western parliament called for protests in response to his decision to deliver a speech from the speaker's seat. | Opposition MPs in Georgia's pro-Western parliament called for protests in response to his decision to deliver a speech from the speaker's seat. |
He addressed delegates in Russian, angering politicians and Georgians vehemently opposed to Moscow's presence in the country. | He addressed delegates in Russian, angering politicians and Georgians vehemently opposed to Moscow's presence in the country. |
Calling for speaker Irakli Kobakhidze and other officials to resign, about 10,000 protesters breached the police cordon in the capital, Tbilisi, AFP reported. | |
Some were carrying EU flags and placards reading "Russia is an occupier". | Some were carrying EU flags and placards reading "Russia is an occupier". |
Giga Bokeria, an opposition MP for the European Georgia party, told AFP the rally outside parliament was "a spontaneous protest by ordinary Georgians". | Giga Bokeria, an opposition MP for the European Georgia party, told AFP the rally outside parliament was "a spontaneous protest by ordinary Georgians". |
Inside parliament, opposition lawmakers blocked the presidium and demanded that the parliamentary speaker, interior minister and state security service chief all resign over the incident. | Inside parliament, opposition lawmakers blocked the presidium and demanded that the parliamentary speaker, interior minister and state security service chief all resign over the incident. |
The session was suspended and Mr Gavrilov has reportedly left the country. | The session was suspended and Mr Gavrilov has reportedly left the country. |
"That was a slap in the face of recent Georgian history," Elene Khoshtaria, an opposition member of parliament, said. | "That was a slap in the face of recent Georgian history," Elene Khoshtaria, an opposition member of parliament, said. |
A spontaneous demonstration | A spontaneous demonstration |
Analysis by BBC News' Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi | Analysis by BBC News' Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi |
The protest continues outside parliament building in Tbilisi in spite of repeated use of tear gas by the police. Several protesters have been injured, I saw one man with a bleeding mouth who said that he was standing close to parliament entrance and was hit by a rubber bullets. | The protest continues outside parliament building in Tbilisi in spite of repeated use of tear gas by the police. Several protesters have been injured, I saw one man with a bleeding mouth who said that he was standing close to parliament entrance and was hit by a rubber bullets. |
Riot police gear such as plastic shields and helmets were seized by some protesters and passed through the crowd. | Riot police gear such as plastic shields and helmets were seized by some protesters and passed through the crowd. |
This demonstration gathered spontaneously in response to calls from the Georgian opposition to protest against what many Georgians say was an outrageous act - to see an MP from an "occupying" country entering their parliament. | This demonstration gathered spontaneously in response to calls from the Georgian opposition to protest against what many Georgians say was an outrageous act - to see an MP from an "occupying" country entering their parliament. |
Anti-Russian sentiment is strong in Georgia which fought a war with Russia over its breakaway region of South Ossetia in 2008. South Ossetia and another breakaway region of Abkhazia are supported by Russia both financially and militarily. | Anti-Russian sentiment is strong in Georgia which fought a war with Russia over its breakaway region of South Ossetia in 2008. South Ossetia and another breakaway region of Abkhazia are supported by Russia both financially and militarily. |
Why are there tensions between Georgia and Russia? | Why are there tensions between Georgia and Russia? |
When Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, separatist conflicts erupted in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. | When Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, separatist conflicts erupted in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. |
In August 2008, Georgia attempted to recapture South Ossetia, which it had fought a separatist war against in the 1990s. | In August 2008, Georgia attempted to recapture South Ossetia, which it had fought a separatist war against in the 1990s. |
Russia poured troops in, ousting Georgian forces from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. | Russia poured troops in, ousting Georgian forces from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. |
Following a ceasefire, Russia withdrew most of its troops from undisputed parts of Georgia but still maintains a military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognising both as "independent" states. | Following a ceasefire, Russia withdrew most of its troops from undisputed parts of Georgia but still maintains a military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognising both as "independent" states. |
Since then, diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia have been severed. | Since then, diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia have been severed. |
To the ire of Moscow, Georgia has ambitions to join the European Union and Nato. | To the ire of Moscow, Georgia has ambitions to join the European Union and Nato. |