For the moment all the demonstrators have been released – Ministry of Internal Affairs

For the moment all the detained participants of the 1 May manifestation have been released under protocol, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reports.

During the manifestation organized by student movement Laboratory 1918 journalist of the TV9 Zviad Khujadze was detained while he was conducting professional duties and Liberali magazine reporter Ani Chankotadze who was one of the participants of the manifestation; Liberali’s Editor Shorena Shaverdashvili said she was not covering the event.

Zviad Khujadze recalled the fact of his detention on TV9: “I saw police was beating a demonstrator; I went to them and asked why they were beating him.  They saw that I was holding a microphone and tried to seize it.  I resisted them and said I was a journalist but they seized the microphone and pushed me into the car.”  Khujadze said that there has been no pressure on him at the police station.

Liberali reports that law enforcers physically abused their journalist Tina Kipshidze.

Up to 20 manifestation participants were detained.

“During the manifestation organized by students, some of the participants violated public order. In the course of manifestation cars of a civilian and several patrol police were damaged. Patrol Police officers called on participants to preserve order several times, however they ignored police requests, as a result of which manifestation participants were detained in accordance with the Law on Administrative Offences,” Ministry of Internal Affairs clarified.

MIA reports administrative proceedings have been launched on today’s incident.

Tamar Paradashvili, Media.ge