Protests have broken out near the House of Justice in Tbilisi, with demonstrators entering the building to demand a halt to work processes both within the institution and across the country. The protests, which have spread to multiple Houses of Justice in Tbilisi and other regions, are urging employees to strike.
Carrying a poster reading “Freedom to the regime’s prisoners,” protesters insist that political views should not prevent workers from exercising their right to strike. At the House of Justice on Sanapiro Street, several protesters who entered the building were forcibly removed by security staff. The building’s entrance has been temporarily blocked, with security asking protesters to step back and promising they will be allowed to return later.
The protests coincide with ongoing demonstrations outside the Georgian Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue, now in its eighth night. Protesters are calling for the resignation of the government following a statement by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on November 28, and are demanding new parliamentary elections. The Georgian Dream party’s decision to delay the opening of EU membership negotiations and refuse EU budget grants until 2028 has further fuelled the unrest.
During the first six nights of protests, police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
