A group of socially underprivileged citizens, Veterans Union members, refugees and those experiencing mortgage losses staged a protest outside the Tbilisi City Hall with the request of creating a city structure housing fund for taking care of the homeless.
The protesters brought a wreath of flowers and announced that it marked their “grieving” for the “loss” of the mayor doing “nothing” for the city. The participants of the protest also had with them banners reading “The Shadowy City Hall of the Bright City”, “We Have a Right to Life”, “’No’ to Social Barbarity”.
Two incidents took place at the protest. A man tried to set fire to himself by pouring petrol on his body, but was restrained by City Hall employees and police officers who took away the petrol bottle, matches and his jacket. Another participant of the protest – who had claimed to be suffering from cancer-related illness – fell into convulsions. Protesters and police officers provided first aid to the individual before the arrival of emergency assistance.

By Giorgi Beridze