01:29Georgia: Anti-government protests in Tbilisi continue for second day
Demonstrators continued to gather to protest against the Georgian government for the second day in a row in Tbilisi on Friday.
At least 240 people, including 80 police officers, were injured as anti-government protesters clashed with law enforcement officials outside the parliament building on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday morning.
Following the violent clashes, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze resigned.
Georgia Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze called for the public to "remain calm, as authorities will protect the safety of every citizen and ensure public order." While Bakhtadze described the protest at parliament as "just," he stated that it was used by "destructive political powers."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the protest in Georgia is a Russophobic provocation. He also added that Russian authorities are very concerned as a lot of Russians go to Georgia as tourists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Friday prohibiting passenger air service with Georgia from July 8.
The rally began after Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov addressed the audience from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker during the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy on Thursday. A number of Georgian opposition politicians left the session in protest.
01:29Demonstrators continued to gather to protest against the Georgian government for the second day in a row in Tbilisi on Friday.
At least 240 people, including 80 police officers, were injured as anti-government protesters clashed with law enforcement officials outside the parliament building on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday morning.
Following the violent clashes, Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze resigned.
Georgia Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze called for the public to "remain calm, as authorities will protect the safety of every citizen and ensure public order." While Bakhtadze described the protest at parliament as "just," he stated that it was used by "destructive political powers."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that the protest in Georgia is a Russophobic provocation. He also added that Russian authorities are very concerned as a lot of Russians go to Georgia as tourists.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Friday prohibiting passenger air service with Georgia from July 8.
The rally began after Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov addressed the audience from the seat of the Georgian parliamentary speaker during the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy on Thursday. A number of Georgian opposition politicians left the session in protest.