Riots after country of Georgia shelves effort to join EU

Demonstrations turned violent Thursday night after Georgia’ruling party put off negotiations for membership in the European Union until 2028. Authorities arrested 43 demonstrators during riots that injured 32 police officers, according to a statement from Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The evening began with thousands of protesters gathering outside the country’s parliament chanting and waving the EU flag. Footage showed demonstrations turning violent later in the evening with clashes between police and protesters early Friday morning. Demonstrators damaged public and private property by setting fires and building barricades, according to the Georgian government. About a dozen officers needed surgery after protesters threw bottles, stones, and firecrackers at authorities, according to the statement.

Demonstrators disobeyed police instructions while physically and verbally assaulting them, the government added. Footage showed police in riot gear using pepper spray and a water cannon on crowds. Protesters told media that the aggression from authorities was unprovoked, with a local watchdog group insisting that authorities violated local regulations and international standards. Men with black facemasks and helmets worked alongside riot police and dealt brutally with protesters, Civil Georgia reported.

Why did the government pause negotiations? Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze described the current EU membership negotiations as insulting to his country during a Thursday night address. It is unacceptable that some politicians are portraying Georgia’s EU membership as a one-sided act of charity, Kobakhidze said. This eastern European country has a rich culture with great potential and Georgia will pursue EU membership with dignity, he continued. Kobakhidze added that the government would not accept EU grants until at least 2028.

Dig deeper: Read my report about the Georgian law dubbed “the Russian law” that sparked civilian protests earlier this year.