Georgia condemned for crackdown on protesters opposing ‘foreign agents’ bill

EU leads calls for halt to escalating violence after police use water cannon, teargas and stun grenades against demonstrators

Western politicians and diplomats have called for a halt to spiralling violence in Georgia after security forces used water cannon, teargas, stun grenades and rubber bullets to break up a peaceful rally against a foreign influence" bill overnight.

The EU, which has granted Georgia candidate status, strongly condemned" the violence and called on the government to respect the right of peaceful assembly. Use of force to suppress it is unacceptable," foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X.