(29 Jun 2019) "Thousands of protesters have tried to storm the parliament building in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi and are calling for the government's resignation.
The unrest was sparked by the appearance June 20th of Russian legislator Sergei Gavrilov in the building as part of an assembly of legislators from Orthodox Christian countries.
Gavrilov's support for independence for the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia and his support of Russian President Vladimir Putin has stoked animosity in Georgia.
Police turned back an attempt by the crowd to storm the building.
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Police have fired a volley of tear gas at a massive throng of protesters outside the Georgian national parliament, who tried to storm the building and are demanding the government's resignation.
Police earlier on June 20th turned back an attempt by the crowd to storm the building, then pushed back another surge about two hours later.
Some demonstrators were seen hoisting shields that apparently had been seized from riot police.
The unrest was sparked by the appearance on Thursday of Russian legislator Sergei Gavrilov in the building as part of an assembly of legislators from Orthodox Christian countries.
Gavrilov has supported independence for the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, over which Georgia lost control in a 2008 war with Russia.
He is also a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a figure despised by many Georgians.
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Riot police in Georgia's capital Tbilisi fired rubber bullets late on June 20th and early June 21st to try to disperse demonstrators outside the parliament who had tried to storm the building.
Nearly 70 people - 39 police and 30 civilians - were treated in hospitals for injuries in the night of clashes, said David Sergeenko, an adviser to the prime minister.
Police earlier had fired tear gas on the crowd of thousands that was demanding the government's resignation, but the gas did not deter the demonstrators.
The crowd repeatedly surged to try to break into the building on the city's main avenue, but police turned back the attempts.
Some demonstrators were seen hoisting shields that apparently had been seized from riot police.
***
Thousands marched in central Tbilisi on June 29th calling for the resignation of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia, in connection with harsh police action against demonstrators last week.
Saturday was the 10th consecutive day of mass protests in the Georgian capital, sparked by a violent crackdown on a demonstration on June 20th.
The protesters consider Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia's richest man who made his fortune in Russia, and leader of the governing Dream party, a conduit of Moscow's influence and overly friendly to Russian interests.
Sandra Roelofs, the wife of Georgia's former President Mikhail Saakashvili, who took part in Saturday's rally, called for the entire government to step down.
""This Parliament and this cabinet is not performing at all,"" she said.
""They are making one mistake after the other, they are not protecting Georgia as a country, they are heading Georgia towards economic crisis, inflation.""
The protests have marked the largest outpouring of anger against the Dream party since it took power in 2012.
Officials said at least 240 people were injured last week when riot police used tear gas and water cannons and fired rubber bullets to disperse the protesters.
More than 300 demonstrators have been arrested.
00:54:18"
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