Georgia police fire water cannons in crackdown on protests over ‘foreign agents’ bill

Police used water cannons, tear gas and pepper spray against protesters in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi on Wednesday night (1 May).

Tens of thousands took to the streets as the country’s parliament moved closer to adopting a controversial law that critics fear will stifle media freedom and endanger their European Union membership bid.

Protesters have denounced the bill as “the Russian law” because neighbouring Russia uses similar legislation to stigmatise independent news media and organisations critical of the Kremlin.

The law would require media and noncommercial organisations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power,” if they receive more than 20 per cent of funding from abroad.