THOUSANDS of Georgians rallied outside the public television station and parliament building in the capital yesterday as daily protests against president Mikhail Saakashvili entered their third week.
Demonstrators continued to demand the resignation of Mr Saakashvili, the western-backed president whose opponents accuse him of concentrating power in his own hands and mishandling last year's war with neighbouring Russia, which resulted in heavy da
mages and a loss of territory. Outside the public TV headquarters, protesters demanded fair coverage.
"We are striving for objective coverage of the events," said Georgy Khaindrava, an opposition leader, vowing to picket the station until Mr Saakashvili resigns.
Mr Saakashvili, a US-educated lawyer, came to power in 2004 on the back of similar, peaceful protests.
But after two weeks of non- violent rallies, signs emerged yesterday that protesters may be expecting things to get physical. Television footage – including from channels that cover opposition activities – showed several wooden sticks and at least one baseball bat being distributed to protesters. Reports in the Georgian and Russian media said the distribution of potential weapons was wider.
Some opposition leaders denied weapons were being handed around, calling it a set-up by Georgian authorities looking for an excuse to violently disperse the crowds. Others, however, said they needed sticks to defend themselves.
Police have said they will not interfere as long as the protests remain peaceful.
