09 March 2009, 19:00
In Tbilisi, police disperses action of oppositional movement named "November 7"
Today in Tbilisi, the police has dispersed the action, organized in Rustaveli Avenue by the members of youth organizations who have united into the oppositional movement "November 7".
We remind you that the Movement "November 7" had promised to start permanent protest actions in Tbilisi, should their demand - to sanction a permanent action in front of the building of the parliament - be ignored.
The today's protest action, held by the Movement at the building of the parliament, has moved a demand of Mikhail Saakashvili's resignation and dismissal of his governments. The protesters tried to block traffic in Rustaveli Avenue, but law enforcers would not allow it.
The confrontation of young oppositionists with policemen has grown into an open fight. During the incident, Dacha Tsaguriya, one of the activists of the Movement, was arrested, as the Agency "Georgia Today" reports. In the course of today's action, its participants also demanded resignation of Vano Merabishvili, head of Georgian MIA, as the "Kommersant" newspaper reports.
The "Georgia Online" Agency reports that about 50 persons took part in the action. With the aim to support the youth movement, leaders of oppositional forces, in particular, Kakha Kukava, one of the leaders of the Conservative Party, also came to the venue.
The Movement "November 7" has demanded to release their leader and gave the authorities of Georgia time till 6:00 p.m. Otherwise, the oppositionists plan to start their protest action already today near the building of the parliament and set up a tent camp in Rustaveli Avenue.
Mr Kukava asserts that the government of Georgia is in agony; therefore, they resort to such actions like dispersal of peaceful protest actions and arrest of oppositional leaders.
