Protesters in Georgia vow to continue "until victory" despite police crackdown

Описание: (7 Dec 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tbilisi - 07 December 2024
++NIGHT SOTS++
1. Riot police officers moving towards protesters
2. Protesters moving back, laser beams
3. Various of protesters singing Georgian national anthem
4. Protester lighting fireworks
5. Riot police officers hiding behind shields
6. Fireworks being fired near riot police officers
7. Water cannon
8. Water cannon aimed at protester
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Elene Chikovani, protester:
"There is just no way that they are going to get their ends with violence because more people are going to come out, more people are going to be on our side because of it. I don't know what their plan is, to be honest, I have no idea. They are doing the opposite of what they are supposed to do."
10. Various of protester lighting fireworks
11. Various of police firing tear gas
12. Protesters moving back from tear gas
13. Protesters putting tear gas capsule into water
14. SOUNDBITE (Georgian) Giorgi Natroshvili, protester:
"Georgian citizens are in the streets defending Article 78 of the Constitution, which states that each governmental entity must support European integration. Angry citizens have taken to the streets. The force the regime is using against peaceful demonstrators closely resembles that of the Russian regime. Therefore, we are fighting against it."
15. Various of protester firing fireworks
16. Riot police officers hiding behind shields
17. Various of water cannon
18. Riot police officers moving
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Saba Tsimintia, protester:
"My best friend was arrested yesterday, but we are here and we will keep staying here until the victory."
20. Various of protesters marching
21. Protesters firing fireworks
STORYLINE:
Police in Georgia fired tear gas and deployed a water cannon at protesters who were demonstrating early on Saturday over the governing party’s decision to suspend negotiations on joining the European Union.

The demonstrators were seen aiming fireworks at the officers during the protest.

The ruling Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in the disputed Oct. 26 election, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Georgia’s EU aspirations.

The opposition and the pro-Western president, Salome Zourabichvili, have accused the governing party of rigging the vote with neighbouring Russia’s help and have boycotted parliament sessions.

Opposition protests gained new momentum after the Georgian Dream’s decision last Thursday to put the EU accession talks on hold.

More than 300 protesters have been detained and over 100 people have been treated for injuries.

AP video shot by Kostya Manenkov

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