Law enforcement officials in Georgia have detained eight people trying to pitch tents in front of the legislative body in Tbilisi, the Interior Ministry said.
“Today, during a protest in front of the legislative assembly, law enforcement officers detained 8 people under article 173 of the Administrative Code (disobeying a lawful request from a law enforcement officer)”, – the Interior Ministry’s press service said in a statement.
The agency calls on the organizers and participants of the rally to maintain public order, refrain from gross provocative actions, verbal abuse of police officers and obey the legal requirements of law enforcement agencies.
“The patrol police repeatedly offered the protesters an alternative place to set up their tent. It is noteworthy that the protesters set up tents in the area adjacent to the legislative body for several months, but the police did not interfere with them. As for the erection of a tent in front of the parliament building, according to the Georgian law” On police “in order to ensure public safety, law and order, to prevent violations of the law, protesters are prohibited from putting up a tent in front of the building of the legislative branch”, – the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
For the third day, representatives of opposition parties and their supporters have been trying to pitch their tents in front of the parliament demanding to call early parliamentary elections. Law enforcement agencies do not allow them to do this, which is why the situation periodically escalates and the police have to detain protesters.