Anti-government protests erupted in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi, forcing police to take drastic measures.
The protests took place on the night of 11-12 January. The demonstrations followed the Georgian Dream government’s announcement in November that the country would suspend its bid to join the EU until 2028.
Since the New Year, protests have been generally peaceful. However, a series of arrests in Tbilisi and Batumi signalled a new government crackdown. According to local media, among the ten people detained on Saturday, four were released the following day.
Local media also reported an unprecedented mobilisation of police in the city, with additional units deployed from the neighbouring Guria region. Tensions between protesters and police escalated after the arrests of Droa party members.
Its leader Helen Khoshtaria was detained while protesting outside the Batumi Constitutional Court.
