Overview

• Tens of thousands rallied in Tbilisi during the municipal vote, with some protesters tearing down a metal fence as they tried to enter the presidential compound.
• Police deployed tear gas and a water cannon to push crowds back from the palace area, with local reports of arrests and injuries among officers.
• Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze had warned of a forceful response to any unrest and labeled opposition supporters as radical.
• Parts of the opposition boycotted the elections while others fielded candidates, and jailed ex‑president Mikheil Saakashvili urged supporters to seize a “last chance” to defend democracy.
• Human-rights groups cite detentions of opposition figures and journalists, and the EU has cautioned that backsliding could threaten visa-free travel.