Tbilisi Mayor condemns harassment of election campaign staff by opposition activists

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze on Tuesday condemned the confrontation outside the party’s campaign office, saying it was categorically unacceptable for activists to come to the election headquarters and insult people working there.

In his remarks, Kaladze hoped that international organisations, including the European Union Ambassador, would take note and make an assessment of this fact.

“This was a very serious and deliberate provocation. It did not happen for the first time. This is our [election] headquarters. As you know, the election campaign is underway. People are working here. We are not attacking anyone. I hope that international organisations and even the European Union Ambassador will take note and make an assessment of this fact”, the Mayor said.

“It is unacceptable to be engaged in an election campaign while a few violent individuals approach, interfere with your work, and insult you. All of this is aimed at artificially creating tension, because nobody is interested in the shouting and noise of these 30 people. Among this group, there are violent individuals”, Kaladze continued.

He further added that approaching election headquarters to insult staff has become a routine practice for certain groups.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched an investigation under the article concerning group violence after the clashes near the election headquarters of Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze.

According to reports, activists used hate speech and insults directed at party members and supporters present at the headquarters. The altercation escalated into a physical confrontation. Two journalists were reportedly injured during the incident.