Tbilisi Election Protests Turn Violent; Police Disperse

On Oct. 4, during municipal elections in Tbilisi largely boycotted by opposition blocs, thousands of protesters marched and in some cases tried to storm the Orbeliani Presidential Palace, prompting clashes. Demonstrators — many waving Georgian, EU and Ukrainian flags — set fires, erected barricades and breached the palace fence and courtyard; videos and reports show people injured and several detained. Riot police declared the rally unlawful and used water cannon, tear gas, pepper spray and armored units to disperse crowds. Opposition leaders say the unrest is a response to alleged fraud in the 2024 parliamentary vote and accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of authoritarianism and a pro‑Russian drift, demanding the government’s resignation, a transitional period and a restart of EU accession talks. Georgian Dream declared victory in every municipality, rejected rigging and pro‑Moscow accusations and said it seeks EU membership while maintaining stability with Russia. Observers described the clashes as a serious escalation of protests that began after the 2024 disputed parliamentary vote and raised concerns about shrinking democratic space, attacks on independent media and cooling ties with the West.