25
Mar 2025
5:23 UTC
Georgia Tactical: Multiple anti-government protests slated in Tbilisi from 13:00 (local time) on March 25; avoid vicinity of rallies
Current Situation:
- A protest is scheduled outside the City Court in Tbilisi at 13:00 (local time) on March 25.
- A protest is also planned outside the Public Broadcaster building at 68 Merab Kostava Street at 19:00 on the day.
- Activists are slated to protest in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi at 20:00 on the same day.
- Multiple public gatherings are scheduled adjacent to the Parliament at 21:00, near Ilia Chavchavadze and Akaki Tsereteli Statue and Georgian Museum of Fine Arts on Shota Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on March 25.
- The demonstrations will be held as a part of the ongoing campaign against the Georgian Dream (GD)-led government due to concerns over policies viewed as restricting Tbilisi’s EU integration and amid alleged harsh crackdowns on protests.
Source: Facebook
Assessments & Forecast:
- The attendance at the scheduled protests is expected to range between the high dozens to low hundreds at each location. The turnout is likely to be strengthened during the evening hours, particularly outside Parliament, due to expected post-work participation by activists. The authorities will enhance security measures with the deployment of riot police and the installation of barricades for crowd control in the vicinity of the aforementioned protest sites.
- Given the anti-government stance of these protests, there exists a high likelihood of clashes between the police and protesters. The authorities’ low tolerance for such demonstrations is expected to lead to the deployment of forcible dispersal measures, if protesters are deemed to be engaging in unruly behavior. As such, water cannons, tear gas, and temporary detentions are likely to be used to quell unrest, especially if protesters use pyrotechnics in reaction to the perceived use of excessive force by the police. Significant disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular traffic are anticipated near the protest sites due to the expected turnout and associated security measures during the scheduled demonstrations on March 25.
Recommendations:
Those operating or residing in Tbilisi on March 25 are advised to avoid the vicinity of the aforementioned locations due to the slated protests and associated high risk of unrest while allotting for travel disruptions.
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Medium
AFFECTED AREA
Tbilisi, Georgia
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
High
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Credible
Current Situation:
- A protest is scheduled outside the City Court in Tbilisi at 13:00 (local time) on March 25.
- A protest is also planned outside the Public Broadcaster building at 68 Merab Kostava Street at 19:00 on the day.
- Activists are slated to protest in front of the Parliament in Tbilisi at 20:00 on the same day.
- Multiple public gatherings are scheduled adjacent to the Parliament at 21:00, near Ilia Chavchavadze and Akaki Tsereteli Statue and Georgian Museum of Fine Arts on Shota Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on March 25.
- The demonstrations will be held as a part of the ongoing campaign against the Georgian Dream (GD)-led government due to concerns over policies viewed as restricting Tbilisi’s EU integration and amid alleged harsh crackdowns on protests.
Source: Facebook
Assessments & Forecast:
- The attendance at the scheduled protests is expected to range between the high dozens to low hundreds at each location. The turnout is likely to be strengthened during the evening hours, particularly outside Parliament, due to expected post-work participation by activists. The authorities will enhance security measures with the deployment of riot police and the installation of barricades for crowd control in the vicinity of the aforementioned protest sites.
- Given the anti-government stance of these protests, there exists a high likelihood of clashes between the police and protesters. The authorities’ low tolerance for such demonstrations is expected to lead to the deployment of forcible dispersal measures, if protesters are deemed to be engaging in unruly behavior. As such, water cannons, tear gas, and temporary detentions are likely to be used to quell unrest, especially if protesters use pyrotechnics in reaction to the perceived use of excessive force by the police. Significant disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular traffic are anticipated near the protest sites due to the expected turnout and associated security measures during the scheduled demonstrations on March 25.
Recommendations:
Those operating or residing in Tbilisi on March 25 are advised to avoid the vicinity of the aforementioned locations due to the slated protests and associated high risk of unrest while allotting for travel disruptions.