Photo Story | Agents Law Passes Second Reading, Thousands Protest Overnight Again

Large crowds of protesters had already gathered around Parliament when the majority blatantly rushed through the infamous Foreign Agents law in its second reading on May 1. Beginning at 17:00, citizens, this time from many regions of Georgia as well, stayed up in another night in protest. Rustaveli Avenue was again filled with tens of thousands of people, with the most tense situation throughout the night on Chitadze Street, next to the Parliament. For hours the police, mobilized in the courtyard at the entrance to the Parliament, used water cannons, tear gas, pepper spray (sometimes mixed with water in water cannons) and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators. Accustomed to the relentless rallies, however, most of the people wore gas masks, special goggles or both, and many had sodium chloride in their pockets, demonstrating remarkable stamina, coordination and unity on the ground. Chitadze St. Police use water cannons against citizens protesting foreign agents law; May 1-2; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. Protest on May 1-2 against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.gePolice disperse citizens on Chitadze St. during a May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.gePolice disperse citizens with tear gas on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizen harmed by tear gas on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizen on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.ge Citizen waving the flag of the First Republic of Georgia (1918-2921) on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.gePolice disperse citizens with water cannons and tear gas on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizen harmed by tear gas on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizen harmed by tear gas on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizen harmed by tear gas on Chitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens setting up barricades at the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens setting up barricades at the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens on Chitadze St. face water cannons during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens wearing gas masks on Chitadze St., filled with tear gas during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens wearing gas masks on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens wearing gas masks on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens wearing gas masks on Chitadze St., filled with tear gas during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.gePolice use water cannons to disperse citizens from the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geChitadze St. during May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geGarbage cans used as barricades at the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against the foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens setting fire, Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens setting fire, Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.gePolice use water cannons to disperse citizens from the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geProtest rally against foreign agents law on May 1-2; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geCitizens wearing gas masks on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.geBarricades at the entrance to the Parliament on Chitadze St. during the May 1-2 protest against foreign agents law; Photo: Guram Muradov/Civil.ge Live Blog: ‘Yes to Europe, No to Russian Law’ – Rallies Against Foreign Agents Bill 02/05/2024 - International Outcry over Police Crackdown on Protest against Foreign Agents Bill 01/05/2024 - Photo Story | Police Crackdown on Peaceful Protesters Against Agents Law (April 30 – May 1)