BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 7. The protest near the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi went beyond the limits set by the law on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and turned violent, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia says, Trend reports citing Georgian media.
According to the ministry, throughout the day, the police were mobilized in front of the parliament building and ensured the peaceful conduct of the protest.
"In the evening, after the plenary session, the protesters tried to block one of the entrances to the parliament, which was not allowed by the police. At the same time, there were facts of violence against ministry employees, including shooting various objects at law enforcement officers.
As a result of the violent actions of the protesters, several law enforcement officers were injured, police equipment was damaged," the statement says.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, despite numerous warnings from the ministry, the protesters continued their violent actions, did not obey the instructions of the police, after which the police used proportional force and special equipment within the powers granted by law.
"The Ministry of the Interior, as the structure responsible for maintaining law and order, once again calls on all citizens, organizers and participants of the rally to comply with the law and comply with the lawful demands of the police. Any violation during the action will be followed by a response from the police and, within the framework of the law, it will be immediately suppressed," the ministry noted.
