Georgian police uses tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in Tbilisi (Picture: EPA)
Thousands of people have gathered in the streets of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi for a second day to oppose a proposed law some see as stifling freedom of speech.
Police have used water cannons and tear gas in to disperse some of the protesters seen pulling down metal barriers outside the parliament building.
Footage shared on Twitter shows officers, many in helmets and riot gear, dragging people away by their hands and arms.
Rustaveli, the central avenue in Tbilisi where the protest erupted, has been split in two – between demonstrators and special forces deployed to the scene.
Crowds clashed with police in front of the Parliament building (Picture: EPA)
Clouds of tear gas rose above the streets around Parliament, with people at the scene reporting ‘it is impossible to breath’.
Those on the ground said people have been constructing barricades out of street benches and trash bins to shield themselves from the tear gas capsules.
Meanwhile, others have been taking shelter at nearby metro stations.
Streets have been flooded with water from cannons, and at least one police car had been overturned.
Some protesters were reported to have been injured in the violence (Picture: EPA)
Crowds were ordered to disperse and there have been reports of people suffering injuries.
Unlike the violent clashes on Tuesday night, there was no signs of demonstrators throwing petrol bombs or stones at authorities.
They carried Georgian and European Union flags, yelling, ‘No to the Russian law’ and singing the Ukrainian national anthem.
‘Now is the time when we are under direct attack from the government,’ stressed 24-year-old journalist Mikheil Gvadzabia.
People waved Georgian and EU flags (Picture: EPA)
Protesters confront a barricade of police (Picture: EPA)
‘It’s very clear that more and more people realise that this is scary and they should fight for their future.’
Software engineer Vakhtang Berikashvili said: ‘We cannot let our country become pro-Russian or a Russian state, or undemocratic.
‘We do not have any other choice: Georgia is either democratic or there is no Georgia. We will win.’
At least 77 people were detained at Tuesday’s violent protests, which kicked off when lawmakers approved a first reading of Russian-inspired law.
It requires any groups receiving more than 20% of their funding from overseas to register as ‘foreign agents’ or face substantial fines.
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