224 detained during protests in Georgia, including opposition leader

This was reported by SOVA and Ekho Kavkaza.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that 224 individuals were detained in recent days during protests for petty hooliganism, resisting, and disobeying police orders.

“Aggressive groups damaged the parliament building and infrastructure on Rustaveli Avenue,” the ministry said. “Late in the evening, protesters vandalized municipal and private property, built barricades with the damaged items, and set some on fire.”

Two protesters, born in 2007 and 2003, were arrested on criminal charges carrying a potential sentence of up to seven years in prison.

Zurab Japaridze, a leader of the Coalition for Changes, was also detained during the protests. Before his arrest, tensions flared as protesters clashed verbally with police and blocked roads using garbage bins, escalating resistance from law enforcement.

How a new Revolution is unfolding in Georgia

On October 26, 2024, Georgia held parliamentary elections. The Central Election Commission declared the pro-Russian ruling party "Georgian Dream" as the winner. Shortly after, "Dream" members voted to schedule presidential elections for December 14. The new president’s inauguration is set for December 29, meaning Georgia could enter 2025 with a new leader.

The opposition, President Salome Zourabichvili, and Western countries rejected the election results favoring "Georgian Dream."

Despite this, Ivanishvili's party nominated former footballer Mikhail Kavelashvili, who lacks higher education and has a history of making obscene public statements, as the presidential candidate. Political analysts describe him as Ivanishvili’s “puppet.”

Adding fuel to the fire, the "Dream" party announced on November 28 that they would abandon the country’s European Union integration plans. State media began promoting narratives about returning to Russian language and culture.

This has sparked ongoing protests in major cities, met with brutal crackdowns by police special forces. Demonstrators continue to organize despite the suppression. Protests have been especially intense over the past four days, starting November 28.

Observers warn that Georgia risks sliding into a pro-Russian dictatorship, resembling the Belarusian model.

On the night of December 2, protests escalated in Tbilisi and other cities after authorities announced a suspension of the European integration process until 2028.