Georgia sees third night of mass protests after ruling party suspends EU talks
Protesters gathered across Georgia on Saturday night in a third straight night of demonstrations against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. Masked police in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons at protesters as clashes broke out outside parliament in Tbilisi.
Many thousands of demonstrators gathered late on Saturday in Georgia's capital Tbilisi, building barricades, breaking windows and setting off fireworks outside parliament, in protest against the government which called off talks to join the EU.
Riot police responded by firing water cannon and tear gas into the crowds.
The demonstrations were by far the biggest since the increasingly anti-Western ruling party was re-elected last month in a vote the pro-EU opposition says was rigged.
Violent clashes erupted outside Georgia's parliament as masked police in riot gear fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters hurling fireworks.
Protesters burned an effigy of Georgia's richest man, the ruling party's founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, on the steps of parliament.
Georgian media reported other protests in towns and cities throughout the country.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the pro-EU opposition of plotting a revolution. The State Security Service said political parties were attempting to "overthrow the government by force".
It accused the EU of blackmailing Georgia.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
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