Georgia's police clash with protesters over "foreign agent" bill

The Georgian government's proposed "foreign agent" law has sparked widespread protests and violence. Critics of the bill compare it to Russian legislation used to silence dissent, with opposition parties, the EU, and the US criticizing it as authoritarian. The law would require media and civic groups receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register. Despite this, Georgian MPs approved the second reading of the bill in parliament, leading to clashes between pro-government and opposition deputies. Outside parliament, security forces used water cannon, teargas, and stun grenades against protesters, detaining 63 people and injuring six police officers. The violence culminated with masked riot police beating and arresting scores of peaceful demonstrators.

In Georgia, protests have been ongoing for three weeks outside the parliament building in Tbilisi, with thousands of people rallying against a proposed "foreign influence" bill. The ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced the legislation, which critics claim is similar to Russian laws used to silence dissent. The European Union has expressed concerns that if adopted, the bill would undermine Georgia's bid for EU membership. On Sunday, protesters gathered outside parliament in a "March for Europe," with police responding by deploying tear gas and water cannons. The clashes resulted in injuries, according to reports. The EU has denounced the proposed law as undermining Tbilisi's aspirations for EU membership.