Police raid Georgia opposition parties’ offices as protests continue
Al Jazeera
The opposition Coalition for Change party says its leader Nika Gvaramia is detained by police.
Police in Georgia have raided the offices of several opposition parties in what appears to be an attempt to halt a wave of protests against the governing Georgia Dream party’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.
Thousands of people have rallied in the capital, Tbilisi, for six consecutive nights with police firing tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds. Some protesters have thrown fireworks at police and constructed barricades in the city centre.
On Wednesday, the opposition Coalition for Change party said its leader Nika Gvaramia had been detained by police. The party published a video on X showing Gvaramia being carried by the arms and legs by several men down some steps.
Police also raided the offices of the Youth Organisation of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party, one of the party leaders, Levan Khabeishvili, told journalists.
UNM in a statement accused the Georgian government of launching “all-out terror and repressions against opponents”.
