MP Nino Tsilosani defends police actions, alleges protester violence

Ruling Georgian Dream MP Nino Tsilosani has taken to social media to defend the police’s actions during recent protests in Tbilisi, accusing demonstrators of provoking violence and causing harm.

In a post on X, Tsilosani stated, “Every time police use legal measures to disperse rallies, they’re provoked by violent actions. Yesterday, demonstrators used pyrotechnics, injuring an officer, and burning a room next to the Speaker’s office. Yet, it’s called a ‘peaceful protest.’”

The comments come amid a mass crackdown in Georgia on opposition members, journalists, and protesters. While the protests are widely described as peaceful by civil society groups and opposition leaders, government officials have increasingly framed them as violent and disruptive.