Georgia Crackdown After Tbilisi Palace Breach, Weapons Found

On Oct. 4, 2025, municipal elections in Georgia — boycotted by major opposition blocs after a disputed 2024 parliamentary vote and a halt to EU accession talks — saw the ruling Georgian Dream claim victory in every municipality. Tens of thousands of protesters in Tbilisi staged a “last-chance” rally, erected barricades, set fires and tried to force entry to the presidential palace before police used water cannon, tear gas and pepper spray to disperse them. Authorities detained several activists, including opera singer Paata Burchuladze, opened investigations and have charged organizers; Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze denounced the actions as an attempted overthrow, blamed EU meddling and vowed a sweeping crackdown. Georgia’s State Security Service reported finding a cache of weapons and explosives it said were intended for subversive acts on election day, while EU officials rejected accusations of backing any overthrow and condemned disinformation and attacks on their envoy. Rights groups warned the clashes reflect broader democratic backsliding, including raids on independent media and restrictions on NGOs, even as the European Commission said the vote was generally administered in an orderly manner but noted procedural inconsistencies.