Individuals used pepper spray on law enforcement during eviction – National Bureau of Enforcement

The National Bureau of Enforcement on Tuesday reacted to an incident on Kekelidze Street in Tbilisi, during an eviction of a family, claiming individuals in the apartment had used pepper spray on rescue services and enforcement police, resulting in injuries to several officers.

The eviction process faced resistance from supporters of the family, causing physical confrontations, with President Salome Zourabichvili condemning the process during the winter season. 

Contrary to some media reports, the claim of gas use by enforcement police is false, the agency claimed, adding the individuals in the apartment “verbally and physically assaulted law enforcement officers, leading to injuries and damage to state property”. 

This eviction, postponed five times in six years, follows legal procedures based on a court-issued enforcement warrant, the agency noted, and highlighted ongoing efforts to settle the case, including negotiations offering alternative living arrangements to the family.