Police arrest Georgian opposition leader after storming party HQ

Nika Melia of UNM charged with inciting violence at 2019 anti-government demonstrations

Georgian police have stormed the country's opposition party headquarters and arrested their leader, escalating a political crisis in the former Soviet country that government critics say risks a descent into authoritarianism.

In a dramatic morning raid, riot police entered the headquarters of the United National Movement (UNM), using teargas and batons as they arrested its leader, Nika Melia, on criminal charges and detained at least a dozen others.