Thousands of people gathered in local elections on Saturday as local elections progressed.
Police deployed water cannons, chili spray and tear gas after the Home Office declared the rally illegal. The video showed attempts to violate barricades, fires, and fencing around compounds.
The ruling Georgian Dream Party has gained control across the municipality, saying the preliminary results point to a decisive victory, including a strong mayoral show in Tbilisi.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze welcomed more than 1.1 million votes and high stocks nationwide, but opposition groups (one boycott) have told them of fraud and enforcement on voting sites.
Authorities reported the rally organizer’s detention overnight and showed additional arrests, citing efforts to identify those involved in the violence. The Ministry of Health said six protesters and 21 officers were hospitalized, including one officer in serious condition.
Saturday’s conflict will win months of demonstrations following last year’s parliamentary vote and government suspension in EU accession measures.
Authorities have framed recent laws and policies as a measure of transparency and order. Critics warn that it has reduced civic space and placed Georgia’s political trajectory under national and international scrutiny.