Georgia’s pro-Russian ruling party, Georgian Dream, claimed a sweeping victory in local elections held on 4 October, while tens of thousands took to the streets demanding their removal. Civil Georgia reports that as opposition forces rallied in Tbilisi, the authorities responded with repression, riot police, and force.

Early voting marred by reported violations

As voting began, opposition parties reported multiple irregularities. In the afternoon, Civil Georgia cited allegations from Lelo/Strong Georgia and its electoral ally For Georgia. Lelo’s Tazo Datunashvili said the party documented vote-buying, carousel voting, and obstruction by precinct commission members who blocked installation of surveillance cameras.

He also highlighted a “trend” of voters allegedly receiving two ballots instead of one, and said that electronic registration devices had been damaged at polling stations in the oblasts.

Protest momentum builds across Tbilisi

Later in the day, students and then other protesters began marching from the first building of Tbilisi State University in the Vake district toward Parliament. Crowds grew steadily on the capital's main street, Rustaveli Avenue, as demonstrators united for what was announced as a “peaceful revolution.”

Opposition declares power returned to the people

As evening approached, United National Movement member Murtaz Zodelava addressed the demonstrators. He announced that state power had “reverted to the people” and called on the rally to mobilize and reclaim the presidential palace. He urged the “male force” in the crowd to act.

Riot police quickly responded by emerging from the palace and deploying pepper spray.

Shortly afterward, Georgia’s Fifth President Salome Zurabishvili wrote on X:

“This mockery of taking over the presidential palace can only be staged by the regime to discredit the 310 days peaceful protest of the Georgian people. As the legitimate President, I formally reject this and continue standing with my people peacefully until we win new elections.”

Regime crackdown intensifies

Not long after, Georgia’s Interior Ministry claimed the rally had violated the Law on Assembly and Manifestation. According to Civil Georgia, the ministry accused the organizers of inciting violence, damaging security bars on the presidential palace, and attempting to break inside.

Soon after, protesters set fire to barricades near Liberty Square. Police deployment intensified across central Tbilisi.

Ruling party mocks protest while claiming total victory

Later that evening, Georgian Dream posted on Facebook that it had won the elections in all municipalities in the first round.

“We started on the 4th and finished on the 4th,” the post read — a mocking reference to the protest movement’s slogan about toppling the regime in one day.

Shortly after, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing, even though the Central Election Commission had not yet released official results. He stated the ruling party had surpassed 70% in all municipalities and claimed voter turnout exceeded 1,430,000 — a figure he described as “very high” for local elections.

The protests in Tbilisi continued at the time of publication.