Georgian President calls on police to refrain from violence amid nationwide protests

President Salome Zourabichvili has urged law enforcement to exercise restraint and avoid using force against protesters participating in demonstrations across Georgia. In a televised statement, she commended the scale and peaceful nature of the protests, which have spread to cities including Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, and Telavi.

“This is a historic moment for Georgia,” Zourabichvili stated. “It is clear that no one will accept a Russified Georgia, a Georgia stripped of its Constitution, or a Georgia governed by an illegitimate authority. The resistance movement has begun.”

Addressing police officers directly, Zourabichvili expressed gratitude to those maintaining peace but warned against any violence toward protesters. “Do not raise your hand against youth or any citizen. Nothing is happening on Rustaveli Avenue or elsewhere that justifies repression,” she emphasized. “You will bear responsibility for your actions.”

The protests erupted after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a government decision to postpone EU accession negotiations until 2028. The move has been met with widespread opposition, with demonstrators demanding alignment with Georgia’s pro-European aspirations and rejecting what they perceive as a drift toward authoritarianism.