Protesters gathered on June 22 for a third straight night of rallies in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, demanding justice for activists who were injured or detained the previous two days. The protests erupted on June 20 in reaction to a Russian lawmaker sitting in the parliamentary speaker's chair during a religious assembly, which many Georgians saw as an unwelcome reminder of Russian military occupation of its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
A Night Of Protests In Tbilisi
A protester holds a sign in reference to demonstrators who lost their eyes in violence or were temporarily blinded by tear gas during clashes with police on June 20. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas against the crowd, with hundreds of people being injured, including many police.
This protester's eye patch reads "20 percent," referring to the amount of Georgian territory made up by South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the two breakaway regions under the control of the Russian military.
A sign with the portmanteau Gavnilov that combines the last name of Russian State Duma Deputy Sergei Gavrilov -- who sat in the Georgian parliamentary speaker's chair during a meeting of international lawmakers on June 20, angering the protesters -- and the word "govno," which means crap. Demonstrators view Gavrilov as an ally of Putin and say he backs Russia's support for the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The number of protesters at the rally on June 22 appeared to be in the low thousands.
Activists' signs are referring to Georgia's 2008 conflict with Russian forces over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, when Russian tanks drove near Tbilisi, as well as the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Among the protesters' demands is the resignation of the country's interior minister, Giorgi Gakharia.
Arguments broke out while opposition politicians apparently tried to gain access the stage and address the protesters. The appearance by Gavrilov in parliament on June 20 drew strong reactions from opposition members, student activists, and others as thousands turned out to demonstrate. Georgia's parliamentary speaker, Irakli Kobakhidze, resigned after the incident.
As night fell, protesters gathered outside the parliament building...
...where they lit flares.
Protesters hold up pictures of a medical scan, which they say is of an activist's skull in which a rubber bullet is embedded.
Demonstrators hold their cellphones in the air as the Georgian national anthem is sung.
After midnight, protesters left the parliament and marched towards Georgia’s ruling Georgia Dream party headquarters, next to Tbilisi's famous Bridge of Peace.
A group of young protesters on scooters during the short march.
The march moved through central Tbilisi.
The police presence outside the Georgia Dream headquarters was swiftly reinforced. After a standoff, the protesters dispersed. Another rally is planned for the evening of June 23.