The Internal Affairs Ministry has arrested 13 people administratively at the rally near the Parliament against the Russian Law. They are accused of disobedience to the police request and petty hooliganism. Among those arrested is Davit Katsarava, the leader of the anti-occupation movement, who was severely beaten.
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In parallel with the process of approving the Russian Law, the Internal Affairs Ministry had hundreds of employees mobilized at the Parliament. Circulating footage shows them cursing, hitting, and pepper-spraying civilians. It is impossible to identify the MIA employees because they are wearing masks.
"After the voting in the parliament, the participants of the rally started deliberately damaging the iron protective fence installed at the entrance of the legislative body located on Rustaveli Avenue and, as a result, managed to enter the territory of the parliament. Additionally, they painted various inscriptions on the parliament building. Accordingly, the protest of the participants of the rally gathered in front of the legislative body completely exceeded the scope of assembly and demonstration established by the law and took on a violent character," explained the Internal Affairs Ministry.
The Internal Affairs Ministry also states that the participants of the rally verbally and physically confronted the police, threw various blunt objects and paints in their direction, and placed various iron constructions on the highway.
"In order to prevent an unauthorized invasion of the parliament building and to restore public order, the law enforcement officers used proportional force and special means established by law," the ministry said, noting that they will study all the illegal facts that occurred during the rally, and each action will be followed by a strict legal response.
The assessment by the Association of Young Lawyers of Georgia indicates that the rally had and still maintains a peaceful character throughout the day. However, despite this, the police forces, without any legal basis, began to disperse the rally with violent methods, including violating the rules of using special means.
