Georgia to ban face coverings at protests

Tbilisi has been hit by anti-government demonstrations after EU membership talks were suspended

Georgia is planning to prohibit wearing masks at public events, according to the country’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, as cited by the TASS news agency. The country has been experiencing major protests after EU membership talks were suspended.

Kobakhidze announced in late November that Georgia would halt negotiations on potential accession to the bloc until 2028, citing “blackmail and manipulation” from EU officials. Brussels has since imposed personal sanctions against members of the Georgian government.

Since then, the capital city of Tbilisi has been rocked by anti-government, pro-EU rallies in which protestors have repeatedly clashed with law enforcement, shot fireworks, and thrown Molotov cocktails at riot police, who have deployed tear gas and water cannons in an effort to disperse the demonstrators. 

“Such facts of attacks satisfy only radicals, who are trying to artificially escalate the situation in the country,” Kobakhidze said at a Sunday briefing as cited by Interfax. “Today, everyone is wearing masks, so it is difficult for the police to respond [and to] identify those who are protesters and who are not.”

The prime minister specified that the measure is necessary to “prevent violence” committed by people covering their faces, emphasizing that similar legislation has been enacted in EU countries.

READ MORE: WATCH Pro-EU protesters use ‘fireworks mini-gun’ in Tbilisi

On Saturday, media reports emerged that a crew of reporters working for the opposition TV channel TV Pirveli was attacked by unknown assailants in masks, who pushed a journalist and beat up a cameraman.

Last week, a camera operator for the Georgian public broadcaster was injured by fireworks shot from a homemade rocket launcher wielded by an opposition protester in the streets of Tbilisi.