• Multiple anti-government protests are scheduled to take place in Tbilisi on January 30. The gatherings are part of an ongoing anti-government movement to denounce the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) government’s perceived anti-democratic policies, including the November 2024 announcement to halt talks with the EU until 2028 and call for fresh parliamentary elections.
• A protest march is slated to be held at 11 Shio Chitadze Street in Tbilisi at 16:00 (local time) on the day.
• Another protest is planned to be staged in front of Shota Rustaveli Monument at 18:00.
• A protest march will take place in front of Parliament at 19:00.
• Another demonstration is planned for the same time in front of the Public Broadcaster of Georgia building located at 68 Merab Kostava Street in Tbilisi.
• A similar protest is slated at Marjanishvili Square in Tbilisi at 20:00.

1. The turnout at the slated protests will vary based on location, with expected attendance ranging from the high dozens-to-low hundreds at each location. Participation is anticipated to peak during the evening demonstrations outside the Parliament and the Public Broadcaster building, where attendance could reach the low-to-mid hundreds. Given the political sensitivity of these locations, authorities are expected to enhance security measures, particularly in the vicinity of the Parliament. The deployment of riot police and the setting up of barricades are likely to prevent protesters from approaching the premises.
2. There remains an elevated risk of clashes between the protesters and police, given the authorities’ perceived low tolerance for anti-government demonstrations. The authorities are liable to detain participants engaging in perceived disruptive behavior. In the event of extreme cases of unrest, the police will likely deploy water cannons and tear gas. The protesters’ use of fireworks against the police’s perceived disproportionate actions is also likely to heighten the risk of unrest at the slated gatherings.  Significant disruptions to pedestrian and vehicular travel are expected in the vicinity of the aforementioned locations during the protest hours on January 30.

Those operating or residing in Tbilisi on January 30 are advised to avoid the vicinity of the aforementioned locations due to the slated protests and associated high risk of unrest while allotting for travel disruptions.