Georgia’s Papuashvili blames election HQ violence on ‘activists supported by the German Ambassador’
Georgia’s Parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili has blamed the violent episodes in front of the Georgian Dream campaign HQ on Monday on ‘activists supported by the German Ambassador’.
Papuashvili claimed that the protesters were ‘shouting fascist slogans’ as they ‘attacked the Tbilisi election headquarters of the Georgian Dream [party]’.
‘During the election campaign, the support for extremists and a foreign ambassador’s failure to condemn violence is an example of gross interference in the elections, in violation of the Vienna Convention’, Papuashvili continued.
The allegation against Ambassador Peter Fischer appears to be based on a recent video that he recorded for the Iliauni students movement, a protest group, in which Fischer spoke about the benefits that joining the EU would offer Georgia.
Fischer has been a regular target of smear campaigns from the ruling party in Georgia.
Separately, Georgian Dream MP Levan Machavariani, who also leads the campaign headquarters, claimed that ‘practically every day, well-calculated, planned provocations are carried out by externally funded activists who are distinguished by their aggression and adherence to pseudo-liberal fascism’.
While not explicitly mentioning Monday’s incident, Machavariani’s comments were published in the pro-government media outlet TV Imedi on Tuesday morning.
On Monday night, chaos erupted outside the campaign office in central Tbilisi as supporters of Georgian Dream repeatedly attacked protesters, including with bottles, stones, and in at least one case, a police baton, resulting in several injuries. Police who were on the scene attempted to separate the two groups, but did not attempt to make any arrests.
The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that an investigation had been launched under the article of ‘group violence’, but did not specify to which group the probe concerned.
OC Media’s journalist at the scene attested that police made limited attempts to intervene and stop the Georgian Dream supporters from attacking protesters, an observation corroborated by numerous videos of the incident shared on social media.
In one widely circulated video, an individual who appeared to be among the group of Georgian Dream supporters can be seen punching a police officer in the face.
In another video, a police officer can be seen leading away a Georgian Dream supporter who had just been attacking protesters with a baton as the individual says, ‘I am one of you’.
During the chaos on Monday night, Georgian Dream supporters also attacked a number of journalists covering the events. László Mézes, a Hungarian journalist, was beaten unconscious by ruling party supporters. It was later reported that Mézes was taken to the hospital and may have had his fingers broken as a result.
Two journalists from Publika also said they were attacked, with one saying her phone was stolen by her attackers.
One Georgian Dream supporter approached OC Media co-founder Mariam Nikuradze as she was covering events and threw water over her. Nearby police officers looked on and did not intervene.
A number of female journalists and women attending the protest were among those beaten — some of the attacks were captured on camera.
This is Keto Mikadze, a journalist of https://t.co/xiyfYUoMa0. She was assaulted by supporters of Kakha Kaladze and the Georgian Dream party. Her phone was also taken away. pic.twitter.com/g0xZoapPsz
— PUBLIKA (@Publika_ge) September 9, 2025
On Tuesday, when shown footage of female protesters and journalists being attacked, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who is seeking a third term in next month’s local elections, said, ‘Where are the women? These aren’t women. This is some kind of different breed’.
Kaladze has a long history of making sexist remarks and using crude language in comments to the public.
Since the ruling party’s election office opened in Tbilisi on 3 September, it has been the site of tense standoffs between protesters and ruling party supporters.
On the evening of the opening ceremony, in one of several confrontations, a Georgian Dream youth leader was filmed spitting on several protesters and a journalist.
Local elections are scheduled to take place on 4 October, with most opposition parties boycotting the vote, insisting the government intends to rig it.
Mikheil Gvadzabia
