6 Mar 2023 – 13:14, Tbilisi,Georgia
A public protest was launched on Monday outside the Parliament of Georgia in capital Tbilisi in a demonstration against the proposed bill on registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “agents of foreign influence” if they derive more than 20 percent of their income from abroad.
The protest comes amid widespread controversy around the bill that has been proposed by People’s Power, a public movement composed of former members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and has seen backlash from the civil sector, political opposition and diplomatic representations in the country.
The riot police in full gear deployed through the ordinary police cordon and, after making the audio-recorded warnings for protesters to disperse, started massively using pepper spray.The riot police then advanced, backed by a water cannon, dispersing the protesters from the side streets and pushing them toward Rustaveli avenue.
Around one o’clock past midnight local time, the riot police advanced on protesters on Rustavi avenue and used tear gas, which was deployed on at least two occasions, massively through shot canisters, enveloping the whole avenue. Emergency brigades treated dozens of protesters who suffered the results.
Sassy posters, raving to sirens, dancing with water jets, and barricades made of scooters; these have become some of the symbols of the demonstrations that defeated Georgia’s foreign agent bills — and symbols of Generation Z’s entrance into politics.Dancing to the background of the sirens was also to demonstrate that we are not afraid and we can overcome this.
Georgians youngsters defiantly dance amid police warning sirens to disperse �
Track: @playa_beats
